Watching With George

Last post....

2010-05-19T20:23:00.000+01:00

Blog moved to new, and I think, slightly fresher premises. Overheads are less. Less rent, cleaner feel. Bye-bye blogger, hello georgeallwell.wordpress.com

Why a tactical vote is crucial for the future

2010-05-04T19:04:00.002+01:00

Who ya voting for? They are all the same? Nothing will change anyway... Ah, it must be election time. If you haven't heard these sentiments you're in a minority. Voting for who and what you believe in should always be the case. Primarily for the reasons outlined in this article by Lisa Ansell. This election is different. Public spending has to be reduced, all parties agree but don't want to explain the fine print or which ring-fence should be pulled down or replaced. By ''all parties'', what I mean is Labour and Conservative, they are the only two that matter, or that have mattered for the best part of a hundred years. That has been the choice. The democratic representation. "They are all the same", "nothing will change anyway" - it certainly appears that way. Those are the stark - and at times depressing facts - of a voting system designed to provide strong government. Or dictatorial regimes. Depends on your persuasion. Trust needs to be restored in democracy. The only feasible way of that happening long-term is to feel represented. The only way that can happen is with voting reforms. This is a compelling argument for proportional representation.

Ignore the media spin. A hung parliament is something I have wished for since the Tories had a 22 point lead nearly two years ago. A coalition should be the chance for politicians to take some responsibility, agree to do what is best for the people, instead of themselves, agree to prioritize policies and work together. Yes, that might sound naive or idealistic, but surely a group of elected representatives can work together? That is why, when asked, I have said have a look at voting for a party, for this election only (or until voting reform happens), that stops the Conservative Party getting an overall majority. If that happens nothing will change. We will keep the House of Lords. The monarchy. The voting system. The banking system. The drug laws. The fear. We might even lose the BBC in its current form. So, before it's too late, have a look at this brilliant election database and see if your one of the lucky ones who has a vote that matters, because over 75% of constituencies have, according to most of the parties, been decided already. That's democracy for you. British style. Maybe with one tactical, biting your lip, ignoring the odd moral or two, tactical vote against the Tories, we could get the voting system that means all our votes count. Is anything more important that the validity and effectiveness of our democracy?

Just look what happens when people vote for polices instead of parties or personalities. Strange that. So we could have a coalition of Greens, Lab and Lib Dem's or, on the other side - Tory, UKIP and the BNP. The choice is yours.*

*My choice: I have lived in four different constituencies in the last five years. Voting tactically, I would vote for three different parties. Labour, the Lib Dem's and Plaid Cymru. Only one of those would be with my heart and head combined, two would be tactical. Thankfully I can make a combined decision this time. I'm voting Liberal Democrat.

Daily Mail readers advocating Cannabis cafes?

2010-05-01T22:09:00.002+01:00

Check out this story, or don't, probably best not to in case your eyes get distracted to some brown shirts or racist bile, maybe a smear or three - you might be of the unlucky variety - and stumble across a Littlejohn 'article', so, heed my advice, take my word for it and browse some of the images here.

Now, call me an old cynic, but that must be 'Lib Dem' trolls (if such a thing can possibly exist) or the cannabis is great alliance posting comments - but they are the most popular!!! Not hand-picked. The Mail Online readers actually think we should have cannabis cafes.

Do you need anymore reasons to hope for a hung parliament?

*EXCLUSIVE CONVERSATION FROM THE FUTURE*

Clegg to Cameron: You can have the inheritance tax for the rich and 19.5 VAT and we will take the weed cafes so we can please our core electorate?

Cameron to Clegg: Deal - I tried it in uni when I was hugging a hoodie or a lamppost or a Thatcher statue, I can't quite remember.It was good shit.

*from across the room

Jack Straw: My son does some good stuff at a good price?

The Final Sunday Polls

2010-05-01T21:31:00.001+01:00

*click image for more info.

So, still, we are heading for a hung parliament. That has been the case since the start of the campaign, and that is still the case now. Average poll: 56% of the electorate want progress 34% want watered down Thatcherism. The election system wont reflect that though, wierd that, also wierd why the Tories don't want to change it.

Common People Like YOU

2010-04-23T01:28:00.000+01:00

Perfect. Bravo.

Podcast #21 - The Podcast Four

2010-04-18T11:22:00.000+01:00

EPISODE #21

This week the discussion basis was, “Poker and Gaming.” George tried not drumming like a twat, we played a video of a daytime TV games debate, Dom was angry, together they discussed poker for a bit and gaming and other stuff, yeah.

Topics discussed;

Twitter-tard, beer warning, sensitive George, 13hr days, poker arrogance, BlackJackTwats, Mo Poker, a brief bad beat story, stop for GaGa, Ivey don’t (full) tilt, poker cuntface, general celebelections, National Service can fuck off, 18th Birthday surprise, George’s Gang Warfare, outside but anti-social, PC Gary Cooper lies, Religious group, A.I. - Ay Eye, Tishmarsh is a cunt, Kelvin McKenzie is a MASSIVE cunt, sand in vagina callback, computer games mass-debate, pause for apology, Tsuani of violence gets applause, parents? Interaction? No need, shout outs, copywrite, screenwriting, little bits, some charts, film talk, absolute shite talking from George - seriously mental shite, yes I said partner, Kick Ass, Daily Fail’s paedo review, Chris Tookey - get a grip nonce, end.

The future is all yellow and sunny

2010-04-17T19:34:00.000+01:00

The future. The Liberal Democrat future. The landslide that is now upon us, even if it requires 63% of the popular vote or something to claim a majority of 1, who cares, surely all the other parties will come out on Wednesday May 5th and declare that all voters should vote and adopt a new, cool and headline grabbing liberalism.

I can't wait. Everybody clapping. Street parties. Houses being painted yellow. Boys and Girls being called Nick. The most popular middle name becoming Clegg, with the braver parents going the whole hog with a John Stuart Mill tat. Council estates where everybody is friends. You haven't been to ghetto till you have been to a Lib Dem ghetto. Liberal hoodies asking old ladies if they need help across the road. Daily Mail readers and editors either quietly emigrating to Costa del Peckham or embracing such wonderful change with a now legal smoking of the odd joint of a sunny July evening. Heaven on Earth. The Lib Dems are my hero's.

Do we all have something to lose?

2010-04-17T19:05:00.001+01:00

Check out the comment by Steven Harris@05:48PM (why the Telegraph feels the need to use a twenty-four hour format and still ignore its basic premise is beyond me.)

A few interesting points made. Are they true though?

Thatcherism is largely to blame, including that Blairite blend of Thatcherism that ensured three election victories for the Labour Party in recent years. Is there still a revolutionary communist inside you Robert? If so then you are a rarity. Marx argued that the revolution would be driven by the class with nothing to lose. Thanks to Thatcher, Major, Blair and Brown our aspirations are thoroughly middle class, our materialistic gene has grown out of all proportion to the rest of our political make-up. Our houses are filled with gadgets, gizmos and endless consumer shackles. We ALL have something to lose (or believe we do). The revolution has been indefinitely postponed.

So according to Mr Harris it is now impossible to be a revolutionary communist because we are all middle class. Kind of. Is there any truth in this? Sat here using a wireless connection on a laptop after listening to the football on the digital radio; am I in fact a product of intensive consumerism? Product or prisoner? Economic controller of my own affairs or advert-programmed robot revelling in the midst of increasing debt levels?

My materialistic gene. Not my favourite to be truthful. It is there, I do come over all happy-clappy with a new bit of fascinating technology, but 'things', any kind of 'things', actually mean fuck all to me. The ability to communicate in the modern world is fantastic. The ability to freely express my own opinion and compare it with others is essential. It is progress, not consumerism. The tools are only the means.

Democracy, true representative democracy would be a bonus, but the X-factor style surge in public opinion towards the Lib Dems might give the election system its required detailed public assassination. The issue is a much bigger scandal or con than the expenses scandal. It might also reverse the trend outlined by Mr Harris of an indefinite postponement of the revolution.

Without it - without the change of system - we truly do have something to lose. Democracy and freedom. I'll keep my free thought and ability to vote over any fucking Nintendo Wii.

Funny from Robert Webb in The Telegraph - yes, The Telegraph!

2010-04-17T17:41:00.001+01:00

This article is funny and was highlighted by Anton Vowl on Twitter. The comments section is the icing on the cake.

Just a snippet... My favourite snippet.

...It is not, for example, immediately obvious to me why I am a Labour supporter. More than half of my family are Tories; I grew up in a very conservative couple of villages in the largely Conservative county of Lincolnshire; I attended an excellent but hugely conservative grammar school, surrounded by the conservative sons and daughters of local Conservative councillors, solicitors, farmers, retailers, policemen and RAF officers.

So at this point, aged about 15, I was basically a revolutionary communist. OK, maybe it is obvious: there is such a thing as rebellion. But most of the other boys and girls at that school didn't see any need for rebellion: it was a nice school and they were happy. I was happy too; I just also wanted to burn the place down.

Can you spot the George Comment?

Peace for Beginners by Ian Kellas - review by Brian Attwood

2010-03-31T13:31:00.000+01:00

Ian Kellas’ Peace for Beginners, success in the excellent Writers and Readers series and proof that, in today’s world, comic books are a more effective medium than catechism lessons.

There is a danger with this kind of presentation that complex issues will be over-simplified, yet the author handles his subject so that the format enhances the argument and never debases it. Kellas is refreshingly original in his treatment, pinpointing the contradictions within peace movements and identifying non-violence firmly among mainstream beliefs,

Any discussion on human behaviour comes down to a question of nature versus nurture. Is violence instinctive or man-made? Ethnology provides many examples sufficiently explain the distinct character of human violence, ‘humans with their practices of mass murder are different. They have an element of choice’.

Why, given the choice, do we consistently opt for violent solutions? Because the way in which choice is conditioned - by attitudes, values and social organisation - has led to a common tendency to form exclusive groups and to seek power over others. Ironically, conflict is only exacerbated by human ingenuity - excused in terms of religion or politics, made more effective through technological advances.

Does this mean non-violence and political power are impossible to reconcile? Kellas’ potted history reveals that when religious-based peace movements came into contact with the state the result was less of an accommodation than a hijack by opportunist rulers. Ambiguous doctrines which recognised ‘we shall always see Truth in fragments and from different angles’ (Gandhi) were open to cynical manipulation. even the justification of war. Hence the spectacle of Gandhi’s funeral, when the prophet of non-violence was carried to his burial on a gun carriage and his assassin hanged.

If divine intervention failed to bring peace on earth, science and the age of enlightenment did little better, The idea that Society could be governed by rules akin to Natural law led to a belief that rational government would end such irrational activities as war, allowing free trade between nations to continue unhindered. However the utilitarians’ ‘business as usual’ approach overlooked the fact that warfare was as much the concern of industrialists as of princes. Today the human obsession with groups and power continues unabated, except the groups are larger and the stakes much higher.

Superficially, Peace for Beginners is a fun book designed to whet the reader’s appetite. Yet the real value of the book is not the superb graphic work but the written content. Perhaps because history favours victors rather than losers it is too easy to forget the contribution to non-violence made by its early proponents. This in turn has allowed critics to misrepresent today’s peace campaigners as cranky or alien to tradition. Ian Kellas has done his bit to set the picture right and to provoke questions rather than provide answers to the present nuclear threat.

Brian Attwood

The Podcast Four (episode 8 fucking teen, that's an adult!)

2010-03-28T06:00:00.000+01:00

This week the discussion basis was, “Learning With George.” George is learning and almost teaching, Dom was angry, and we have another new special Guest, Marcus, together they discussed stuff.

Topics discussed;

The Guest, talk to who? Jack Black’s trick, White Stripes?Drug refute, Peter kay was funny once, Jason Mansfield the diet Coke of comedy, the Guiness Cold of Guiness, past guest quick story, cross who? Snaring tail, iPhone iSouras, eyeBleeds, reviewing stories, pen time, George’s retardation, Ben email time, actual genius moment and plea, bit o’ soccer, George’s lie came true, LIEbrary, Northern, Mac Cunts, Scat-eo, BBFee 1, George waffles into the unknown, research - love that, sporting reference, serious section, he/she story, Slagathor to bikini line, keep it clean, George’s bathroom break, baking Bacon, drugs init, Dyer again, 19 is still a teenager, trendy Dave, Georg’s rage, end.

Cheers Dom. Drumming is banned from this moment, unless I have a breakdown.

I Love the NHS staff

2010-03-26T13:57:00.002Z

I need to be clear about this one before any reader thinks I'm talking about the many attractive nurses in equally fetching uniforms. I'm not, although, of course, one must appreciate this form of public service. What I'm talking about is the brilliant staff I have come across over the past 13 months, but in particular, my experience yesterday at the Royal Liverpool University hospital. Administrators, receptionists, nurses, surgeons, consultants, professors, porters, kitchen staff, cleaners and doctors. I have probably come into contact with a thousand staff, and I can count on one finger the number of people who have caused me any kind of negative feelings whatsoever.

Yesterday was fantastic, I was made to feel welcome, at ease and in one case, in hysterics from the nurse running the scanning machine; he informed me I should be spending my hospital visits in Yorkshire, not Merseyside, and that I should get onto my local councilor to ask him why they haven't built any hospitals in my area yet. Cheeky git.

Thank you.

Its been a while... Internet free lifestyle.

2010-03-23T12:55:00.000Z

Nearly multiple weeks since a post. What on earth has been going on? I have had NO internet for over a week, it was like a trip back to 2003. I felt lifeless. How do people exist without it? Honestly though, it was quite revealing at times, I spent far more 'proper' time with my Son. Not looking at the latest post or tweet or result or analysis, just playing indoor cricket, love it. It will continue, and I have learnt my lesson.

Check this out for brilliant blogging while I was 'away'.

Your neighbour is a terrorist according to Talksport

2010-03-10T16:56:00.002Z

Fucking fuckers.

Newsroom: Breaking News Some bullshit happening somewhere

2010-03-10T15:42:00.000Z

Jon Venables: Psychiatric report

2010-03-10T01:47:00.002Z

“The initial issue that needs to be considered concerns the possible risks to the public should Jon be released now. In my opinion, the risks now are so negligible as to not amount to a serious consideration. The main reasons for that view are as follows.

First, Jon’s behaviour during the entire period at Red Bank has never given rise to concerns regarding significant violence to other people. There was only one episode that might give rise to any concern and that involved a rather minor episode of throwing of batteries. That was several years ago. The nine incidents recorded in 1999 nearly all involved swearing or verbally abusive behaviour and none of the incidents gave rise to the need for either restraint or segregation.

Second, especially during the last two years, Jon’s style of interaction with other people (staff and peers) has been harmonious, non-provocative and not attracting provocation from others. Third, Jon’s increasing mobility outside the unit over the last two years has given rise to no concerns . . . about his behaviour. Fourth, there is nothing in Jon’s personality functioning . . . to suggest any risks of violence. Fifth, although the killing of James Bulger was a particularly horrific act, it had not been preceded by any indication of sadistic or violent tendencies to either other people or to animals. Sixth, Jon has made exceptional psychological progress over the last two years, has gained considerable maturity and responsibility, and is realistic in his appraisal of the past, the present and the future. All the evidence with respect to past risk factors, current risk factors, and behaviour during recent years indicates that the risks to the public are so trivial that, strictly in relation to that perspective, immediate release would be justified.”

“First, although the crime was an exceptionally horrific one, it was, perhaps surprisingly, an isolated episode that did not occur in the context of a more prolonged exhibition of violent or sadistic behaviour. Second, the 18-year-old of today is a very different individual from the 10-year-old who committed the crime. Third, from the point of view of Jon Venables’ rehabilitation, the rapid and very substantial progress over the last two years makes it an urgent matter to have an early, and finite, end to the tariff with the question of release being considered in relation to parole in the usual way.”

I conclude that Jon has reached the psychological maturity now to be able to cope with release . . . Jon has had very limited opportunities to exercise responsibility and no opportunities to test his ability to cope when not supervised. In my view, it is an extremely urgent matter to move swiftly to a plan of graded rehabilitation designed to enable him to cope with release . . . It is difficult to put a precise time frame on the process but something of the order of 12 months is likely to be required.”“The changes in Jon’s behaviour since I interviewed in late 1997 are extremely striking. At that time . . . he had made great progress but he was very dependent on staff (so that, for example, he did not want me to interview him without his key worker being present), he readily withdrew into a posture of social anxiety and communicative mumbling in group situations, and he found it quite difficult to talk openly about both the past and future, although he did so with encouragement . . . He is now much more mature, much more forthright and realistic about both the past and the future, much more relaxed in his social interactions, much more insightful into both his own behaviour and the response of others to what had happened, and much more realistic about the remaining tasks to be dealt with. Both Jon and the staff report his marked uncertainty and anxiety with respect to his first forays outside Red Bank, and the huge progress that has been made in gaining confidence in dealing with the outside world . . . He has dealt very well with the range of different outings that have been permitted under the present mobility regulations . . .

“The next question is whether, when Jon is released, it would be appropriate for him to return to his biological family. Clearly it would. Whatever the family difficulties preceding the offence, the family have been quite exceptionally cohesive, supportive and constructively realistic over the whole period of time when Jon has been at Red Bank . . .

Both parents have exhibited strain . . . despite all this, they show every evidence of being strongly, and unequivocally, committed to Jon and utterly realistic in the huge challenges that remain for all of them to deal with in enabling him to be rehabilitated.”

“It is crucial that Jon be able to encounter, and deal with, an increasingly wide range of real life situations requiring responsibility and decision-making and to do so with a carefully graded reduction of supervision. My strong recommendation is that the current requirement of a 2:1 arrangement for mobility outside the immediate local area be withdrawn and replaced by a 1:1 arrangement . . .

It will be necessary . . . to further diminish supervision and then periods of unsupervised activities in the community before total release . . .

Both Jon and his parents have aspirations for him to attend university but his exam record so far, together with the assessments of his educational supervisors . . . indicate that this may prove to be too ambitious. Jon has done exceptionally well, very much to his credit, and further education is both desirable and fully justified. A college placement providing training in information technology would probably be most appropriate in relation to Jon’s skills and interests.”

“Jon has reached an age that is approaching the upper limit for young people normally accommodated at Red Bank. Nevertheless, my strong recommendation is that he should remain there up until the point of his release . . .

The relationships that he has formed with staff provide much the best basis for him to attain independence and autonomy to move into the outside world . . .

Two alternatives need to be considered. The first, that he move to a young offenders’ institution. I can see no advantages in such a move . . . It would undoubtedly make rehabilitation very much more difficult, it would introduce an inappropriate element of punishment in adult life for a crime committed nearly half a lifetime ago (in relation to Jon’s age) and it would introduce the huge risks of placing Jon in a social environment with major risks for pressures for him to engage in both criminal activities and the taking of drugs . . .

In my view . . . this would be a disastrous move that would provide a very major setback to the hugely important gains of the last few years.”

“A more reasonable alternative would be for a move to a residential, custodial, setting that provided a stage between the high security of Red Bank and the total openness of placement in the community.”

“The Jon Venables of today is a very different person to the Jon Venables aged 10. It has been a very important part of his rehabilitation so far that he has come to terms in a wholly realistic way with the awfulness of his behaviour eight years ago . . .

Similarly, I think that it has been very advantageous for him to accept the benefits of going under his own name at Red Bank and having to cope with the reactions of other people to what he did when much younger . . .

At this point, it is crucial for his rehabilitation that he be able to make a clean start. There are no significant risks to the public in his doing that and there are huge benefits to him in being given the opportunity to make a success of such rehabilitation . . .

Of all the risks in relation to his future rehabilitation, those that surround the possibility of identification are the greatest.”

“The last point to consider is the degree of likelihood that Jon could make a successful rehabilitation in order to live independently in the community. The . . . research evidence that is relevant . . . is extremely limited, if only because of the rarity of individuals who kill as children. Nevertheless, for the reasons given in the body of this report, I think that the chances of successful rehabilitation in Jon’s case are very high. That judgment is, however, strictly contingent on it being possible to undertake the process of further rehabilitation along the lines indicated above and on his being protected for the future with respect to identification. If either were not possible, the risks would inevitably be substantially greater — not for further violence of the kind similar to the original crime but rather for social maladaptation and serious psychological difficulties.”

Further reading from the UCC Law society

'One murder, three victims'

Tariff report - The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales (2000)

I want Swine-flu (Genius. Funny. Great website.)

2010-03-09T16:48:00.002Z

From here. Genius.

I just deleted my mom's number from my cell phone. That's because she called me in a panic after seeing a special on CNN about swine flu asking me what she should do. How about getting a clue, mom? Idiot.

You're all idiots. If you've spent more than a few minutes worrying about swine flu, you are an idiot. That's because it only takes a few minutes to look up the symptoms, mortality rate, and treatment to realize that it's no different from the common flu (which kills way more people and by extension is way more awesome), and going back to whatever it is you were doing, which was probably turning off CNN and canceling your cable subscription. In fact, worrying at all makes you an idiot. Why worry? Cowards worry and there is a 100% overlap between people who worry and people who regularly make cowardly decisions. That's why natural disasters kick so much ass. You never really know when they're going to hit, so you might as well let go and stop being such a scared pussy all the time. You'll cross the bridge of death when you get to it. Time to start taking risks, asshole! Quit your job. Quit answering your boss' calls during your time off. Go do something with your life. Jesus!
Which leads me to why swine flu is stupid. If I were to worry about anything—and I don't—swine flu would be pretty near the bottom of the list. Here's a list of things that are a higher priority of things to worry about:

See no difference? That's because there is no difference. Quit closing schools down every time someone gets swine flu, morons!
The problem isn't swine flu, but people talking about it (this article withstanding, because I'm the exception to every rule, that rule withstanding). Remember SARS? More bullshit. Fewer than 800 people died from it world wide. Yet the news networks prattled on about it for months.

Take one traumatised child, classify as 'adult', arrest, lock up, and bundle onto plane, bound for danger - Labour's Britain in 2010

2010-03-09T16:35:00.001Z

Clare Sambrook, 8 March 2010

From Opendemocracy.net

He looks my age,’ says my nine-year-old son. ‘He looks sort of like me.’

There’s a picture on my screen: a small, slight boy who, for legal reasons, we’ll call M. He’s being cuddled by his 17 year old big brother Z. Both boys are smiling. They have been reunited after a long, hard separation.

Back home in war-torn Afghanistan their parents and a sister were killed. Big brother Z was first to come to Britain, traumatised, in November 2008. He has refugee status, studies for his GCSEs at school in Leicester.

This past October little brother M made his way here. Despite M’s size, his vulnerability, his boyish looks, officials said, you’re not 14, you’re an adult.

Instead of being taken into care, M was bounced around between three different adult hostels and a house-share with older men — and refused asylum.

Welsh Refugee Council staff were baffled and concerned. To them he looked every inch a traumatised boy.

Across the Afghani community and Red Cross networks, word rippled out: a boy called M badly needs to find his big brother Z.

The boy on the right: jailed in adult cell, transported
by caged van, booked as an adult onto flight into
war zone

The boys were reunited in February — and just in time, for if the big brother was, by official assent, just 17, then surely it must follow that the younger, smaller, slighter brother must be... younger.

M’s solicitor told his UKBA case-worker the good news and made an appointment. ‘I felt relieved,’ says Sabina Hussain, Welsh Refugee Council’s child advocacy officer, ‘I was looking forward to some stability for the brothers, and reuniting them for good.’

Last Monday, a bright, sunny St David’s Day morning, Sabina went with M to help him lodge his fresh asylum claim at the Border Agency’s Cardiff office.

M was arrested, and locked up in Cardiff Bay Police Cells, in extreme distress, dwarfed in man-sized padded clothing to protect him from self-harm. His seat was booked on a flight bound for Afghanistan, Tuesday 9 March.

In the dark early hours of Tuesday 2nd March, M was taken with an adult detainee by caged van on the 109 mile journey from Cardiff to Oxfordshire and Campsfield House, an adult detention facility run by the government’s commercial partner Serco. He shared a dormitory with seven men.

Welsh Refugee Council instructed solicitors, spearheaded an emergency campaign. Concerned citizens lobbied MPs and the Home Office. On Thursday morning, just days before the flight, Sabina said: ‘M is crying, “please help me, I'm scared, this place is no good, no sleep, no eat, I want my brother”. We are gravely concerned for his welfare.’

Solicitors appealed to the High Court to block M’s deportation. Sabina joined him in Campsfield House to await the Court’s decision.

Meanwhile, up in Glasgow, university professor Alison Phipps was asking friends to testify that she and her husband Robert Swinfen love their foster daughter Rima, that she loves them and that Rima really is 17, and not, as the authorities insist, over 20.

Fleeing religious persecution in Eritrea, shipwrecked off Italy, Rima Andmariam had sheltered in a derelict Milan squat, gone hungry, lost a finger, made her way to Britain and Cardiff — aged 15, according to her papers which Cardiff UKBA and social services refused to accept, insisting she was an adult.

Rima fled, moved from house to house, lived rough until twelve months ago when Alison and Robert took her in as their natural daughter. In May last year Rima was seized and locked up in Dungavel, a former prison.

When Rima’s solicitor lodged an application for judicial review, the Border Agency swept her out of its range, taking her 356 miles south by caged van to Yarl’s Wood, Serco’s notorious Bedfordshire detention centre. Another application for review, deportation averted. After seven days in Yarl’s Wood Rima was home again.

And then, last month, the day after Valentine’s Day, the government told Rima she would be forcibly deported to Italy within weeks. The family campaigns vigorously for clemency, fearing that each new dawn will bring the Border Agency’s arrest squad to their door.

Last Thursday afternoon the Hon Mr Justice Cranston stayed M’s deportation, ordered UKBA to free him and instructed Cardiff Council to provide accommodation suitable for a 14 year old boy, pending a full judicial review hearing. That night an exhausted M was released from Campsfield, driven back to Cardiff and placed with foster carers.

M’s fate and Rima’s hang in the balance — here, in Britain, a country where asking for sanctuary is a right, not a crime, and where, according to the government, every child matters.

This article is published by Clare Sambrook, and openDemocracy.net under a Creative Commons licence. You may republish it without needing further permission, with attribution for non-commercial purposes following these guidelines. These rules apply to one-off or infrequent use. For all re-print, syndication and educational use please see read our republishing guidelines or contact us. Some articles on this site are published under different terms. No images on the site or in articles may be re-used without permission unless specifically licensed under Creative Commons.

This isn't about justice for James

2010-03-09T13:25:00.005Z

* taken from the brilliant new 'Northernbloke' blog

This article is an exception, sadly, to the tirade of lynch-mob baiting that pours from every outlet of media reporting at the moment.

"There was something tangibly ghastly about James Bulgers murder. I was 13 when he was killed on a railway line in a grim estate in Liverpool, and I remember it well. How could two kids do the things they did? Snarling adults pounding at steel mesh windows of a police Transit Van, trying to get at two 10 year old boys inside. The incendiary headlines like the "Star" offering 20 grand to "snare the bastards who slaughtered Jamie", and the Expresses "Monsters", and the infamous grainy CCTV footage of the two boys luring him to his fate. We have a strange dual standard about children in the UK. On the one hand, as a glance at any of the obituaries to dead children, whether Baby P, or yet another hit and run victim, will show -there's talk of angels in heaven, and innocent tots full of love. But then we are castigated by Time magazine for deliberately alienating and fearing our bling crusted, and hoodie wearing teenagers. It is perhaps not too much of a stretch to say that some of the visceral hatred directed towards them was because they shone a dark and shattered mirror in the publics face about something we don't want to see. Pre teen childhood violence. It lead to much soul searching. How do we square that two boys brutally killed a toddler in such a hideous manner, with the circle of the presumption of childhood innocence, and how they could be judged by adult standard. It created a debate on criminality that has never been adequately settled, and still stirs up strong emotions even today, as we have seen*."

continued on this link

George said:

I wish I got to read articles of this nature in the press - some form of counter-balance to pre-baiting, the pre-stoking and if the tabloids continue in this vain future-lynching of John Venables.

"...they shone a dark and shattered mirror in the publics face about something we don't want to see. Pre teen childhood violence. It lead to much soul searching."

I was a similar age when it happened, and had many arguments over the attachment of blame. Responsibility, knowing right from wrong, but, for me, the crucial extension to that, the sliding scale of right and wrong. They knew it was wrong - but as ten year-old's - did they know the true consequences. The lifelong pain it causes to his family. Is it possible to rehabilitate that level of apparent apathy. Other European nations refuse to acknowledge criminal responsibility in a criminal court until the age of 16. Before that, the only option is intensive rehabilitation, 'another chance', in essence.

Why do we, as a society, seem to want this murder justified with the potential death of the two children who did it? How would three dead children be a 'better' outcome than one? Spending huge amounts of money - to try the hardest - but truly civilised path of rehabilitation; is a greater reflection on our society. If Jon Venables never spends a day in free society again, I really couldn't care less, I have no sympathy. It's societies reaction that is the key, if we can 'create' ten-year-old murderers, how? What should we change? How should we report it? How should we deal with them?

"It created a debate on criminality that has never been adequately settled, and still stirs up strong emotions even today, as we have seen."

Tough choices. Tough progress. Tough debate. That is the only answer, the hard choices. The hard work. Not, as the tabloids want, the easy, caveman, unthinking, emotional lynch mob. Two more murders - by 'the crowd' - that is progress. Justice. Grab your pick-axe, we have got a cave to build.

Democracy in Iraq?

2010-03-07T14:49:00.006Z

Are we finally going to start to see some progress in Iraq? Another election, another set of inevitable attacks, probably to be followed by allegations of corruption and vote rigging, a sham election, just to prop up a puppet cherry picked by the US administration.

Nonsense. Look at the quote from Walid Abid, also check out this quote:

"I am not scared and I am not going to stay put at home," said Abid, who owns a cafe. "Until when? We need to change things. If I stay home and not come to vote, Azamiyah will get worse."

Does that not (and please don't believe I supported this illegal invasion for one second) illustrate the wonderful effect democracy* can have. How the Iraqi people are, for all this conflict's failings, trying to embrace democracy. That all those civilian deaths listed in the pretty graph** above are not for nothing.

*any person considering not voting in the upcoming General Election should seriously have a rethink. How much we take our society for granted. How apathetic can a nation become? (over a third choose, on a consistent basis, not to vote at all.) And please don't suggest that this group of people are somehow 'protesting' by not voting at all. The vast majority have no passion for the vote, no passion for democracy any more and probably no passion for the society around them. Oh the beauty of Western liberal democracy.

** The "beauty of Western liberal" democratic media reporting surfaces its ugly head. A lovely pretty graph to illustrate the civilian deaths. Oh look, it goes up in the middle, it was really bad then you know. And then what? It falls, progress you see. A lovely pretty graph to measure death, innocent deaths, civilian deaths. Not only that - look at the smaller word, the killer word, the slightly less bold font than the other words - 'thousands'. So the lovely, pretty, purple up-and-down graph, with the numbers 1,2,3 and 4 running up the left, has a whole different meaning when your eyes scan up the left side of the graph. All those pretty purple bars, are thousands and thousands and thousands of dead, innocent people. You wouldn't know that from all the 'prettiness' though, would you?

Also read this, Iraqis defy intimidation to vote, attacks kill 36

The Podcast Four - George's Features

2010-03-07T10:17:00.002Z

Podcast 15! Fucking 15! How many? Yes... fif...bloody...teen!

This week the discussion basis was, “George‘s Features.” George decided he should be in charge of a podcast, so came in the studio with a list of features, Dom was angry, together, they discussed George’s features.

Topics discussed;

Our best opening, it was brilliant, 1st timers, coffee explained, few features, choke him out, sarcasm in voice, NY Gay, Dan’s gang history, emotional Vs physical scarring, it can be both, build the rage, Glen Beck’s progress cancer, Google it Glen, OLIGARH, wasn’t a John Stewart impression so, racist accent, No 1 fan again, Che Chevara was a good team, worlds best headline, CSI lie, random-wiki-5, status fun with music, assume a month, Alicia Keys love in, Talent - no contest, $ stumps George, random music, radio spaz spaz, ‘94 chart lies, old doesn’t mean classic, NME subscription cancelled, Dom pauses for a lie, stop lying mum, “Fuck I bought Boyzone”, NEXT, Dom rage, NEXT, U.F.No, alien day trip to Manchester, leave the crops you cunt, Dom and George swap impressions, end.

Cheers Dom. I love reading these on a Sunday morning. It's like a blast from the past even though it was only a couple of weeks ago. I'm like, oh yeah, bloody hell yeah, of course, I remember that, as if, can't wait to listen to radio spaz spaz...

US facing rise in right-wing extremists.

2010-03-06T13:05:00.005Z

Forget Islamic terrorists, Osama-bin-Laden, North Korean dictatorships or Iranian nuclear proliferation - in the USA - a huge increase in right-wing 'patriot' groups and militias have alerted law enforcement agencies since the election of Barack Obama.

According to the Guardian these groups are 'armed and angry', and are encouraged by the "increasing propagation of conspiracy theories by parts of the mass media such as Fox News."

"The SPLC has identified 512 groups, including "patriots" and militias, which it accuses of pushing extreme anti-government doctrines or promoting political conspiracy theories. It says that many are not directly involved in violence but help feed extremism.

States with several groups include: Texas (52 groups including American Patriots for Freedom Foundation, Central Texas Militia, Texas Well Regulated Militia); Michigan (47 including Northern Michigan Backyard Protection Militia); California (22 including State of California Unorganized Militia, Northern California State Militia, American Armenian Militia, Freedom Force International); Indiana (21 including Indiana Sedentary Militia, Indiana Citizens Volunteer Militia, 3rd Brigade); New York (17 including Empire State Militia); Oregon (14 including Oregon Militia Corps) and Kentucky (13 including Kentucky State Militia – Ohio Valley Command)."

Do you suppose this will be the 'breaking news' on Fox News? Will this be a huge concern to the right-wing propagandists of Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly? I doubt it. Like I said before, it just doesn't fit the narrative.

(Some other examples from the UK and Europe found on this blog.)

Quotes on the BNP

Dutch Double-speak

Science, Evolution and Creationism (2008)

2010-03-04T15:33:00.005Z

Description:

How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable.

In the book Science, Evolution, and Creationism, a group of experts assembled by the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine explain the fundamental methods of science, document the overwhelming evidence in support of biological evolution, and evaluate the alternative perspectives offered by advocates of various kinds of creationism, including "intelligent design." The book explores the many fascinating inquiries being pursued that put the science of evolution to work in preventing and treating human disease, developing new agricultural products, and fostering industrial innovations. The book also presents the scientific and legal reasons for not teaching creationist ideas in public school science classes.

Mindful of school board battles and recent court decisions, Science, Evolution, and Creationism shows that science and religion should be viewed as different ways of understanding the world rather than as frameworks that are in conflict with each other and that the evidence for evolution can be fully compatible with religious faith. For educators, students, teachers, community leaders, legislators, policy makers, and parents who seek to understand the basis of evolutionary science, this publication will be an essential resource.

Thanks to oleuanna for twitter flag-up. Or check out her blog.

It's a free book. Why wouldn't you want to read it?

Respect for the recently dead

2010-03-03T23:02:00.003Z

Let me start by admitting my hypocrisy. I have wished death on Margaret Thatcher many times, without any level of regret or reconsideration. Until now. I hate her, everything she stands for, everything she led her party to change. The communities she destroyed, the industries she closed down, the individual lives she wrecked - all with her 'modernising' alliance with the economic liberalism of the Reagan era. None of this matters. I was wrong. I don't want her to die. I will never wish that on anyone, again, as hard as that might be, although I can't promise or predict the future.

Why the change of heart? The reaction of certain individuals to the death of Michael Foot today. Simple. Yes, all the comments and posts are made by nameless retards. Yes, they have been wishing a painful death on our current Prime Minister for years. Yes, the vast majority of them, as right-wingers, would consider 'principled idealism' as alien to them as collective trade unionism. The vile, abusive, vitriolic hatred typed by these specimens of pure shit , beggars belief. If they said these things in the street - and my words 'they' complain constantly about broken Britain and the lack of respect coming from the youth of today - they would rightly be arrested or condemned. Anyway, my days of entering 'the spirit of virtual assassinations' and 'abusive comment scraping' are over. So are my days of wishing death on Margaret. I hope she enjoys her last few years, and in the spirit of optimism, joins the Labour movement with Carol and helps bring down the next Conservative government. Good old Maggie...

Two hours from London (part five) - narrated by Michael Foot.

2010-03-03T16:19:00.003Z

(all on You Tube)

I have posted the final part because of the emotion and conclusion of Michael Foot. It is horrific to watch.

RIP Michael Foot (1913-2010) A true socialist, true to himself and the movement

2010-03-03T12:42:00.007Z

The way the Murdoch press treated him was an absolute disgrace. If only he had won in 1983. If only... A man who took such awful criticism from both sides of the house, usually hidden away with conspiracy, but always managed to stick to his beliefs, his principles and that of the movement. If only we had more politicians like him. True socialist, true speaker, true principles, true brilliance. You will be missed.

"I think the House of Lords ought to be abolished and I don't think the best way for me to abolish it is to go there myself" - On his departure from the House of Commons, 1992.

"Most liberties have been won by people who broke the law" -Interview in 1980.

"Socialism without public ownership is nothing but a fantastic apology" - In the Daily Herald, 1956.

This post, however, does far more justice to the man, more than I could ever wish to do - and is posted on Iain Dale's blog. Brian Brivati - brilliant words.

Rupert Murdoch: The future of newspapers

2010-03-01T20:06:00.004Z

From the Hoover Institution and FORA.tv

He talks nonsense. Was this whole issue a set-up to push his agenda? Does he really believe it is possible to charge for online newspaper content? Can't wait for him go bankrupt... yes I am dreaming, but hope is the only way.

The Podcast Four (14) - A right-lefty podcast

2010-02-28T13:52:00.005Z

This week the discussion basis was, “A Right Lefty Podcast.” George was doing some political stuff, Dom was angry, together, there was left issues and Georges inherent racism.

Topics discussed;

George‘s racist opening, stupid gay questions, live soap, studio Hitler, Run Down(ie), micro-fume, logistical shit, no gays in Texas, lefty blog, Maddie, white women, love Government lies, who da fools? Murdoch stole cricket, Carlito‘s Fifa, custard, brother Farelli, Pensylvannia peado-cam, wank-ring, Apple Wack, multi-ethnic-nationalist, twitter fan, Cross Keys again, how pub promotion works, punkers, friendly stalking, Dom‘s a spaz child, HMV interview, Dom’s threat, Smith Voucher punch, pre-emptive no coffee, Bronx squash, kids don’t count on counting, insect fuck up, censoring at 12, phone check, fit teachers, Danny Dyer bit, Ray WinstonE, Katona, character flaw rehab, fancy vs. fit, math fails, just end it, 99 no, 1 yes, call back, table turning on Dom, 150 mile injunction, end.

Cheers Domino.

David Cameron MP - in detail.

2010-02-28T02:42:00.005Z

To facilitate my travel in my capacity as Leader of the Opposition I have received* helicopter and private plane travel from the following:

JCB Research

Harris Ventures Ltd

IPGL Ltd

Henfield Lodge Aviation Ltd, London

William Cook Holdings, Sheffield

*forget first class rail travel then Dave, your better than that.

Credit to theyworkforyou.com

General Election to be called on 01/03/2010

2010-02-28T02:03:00.003Z

The Conservative lead in the opinion polls has all but disappeared. The Conservative Party are lurching to the right looking to appeal to traditional voters. Surely now is the time to call the election. The political blogs were brimming with speculation about the possibility of the election being confirmed this weekend.

Has the date already been decided? Gordon should go for it now. My prediction is - and has been for 18 months - for a hung parliament. Where we go from that, who knows?

What is a hung parliament?

2010-02-23T21:11:00.006Z

...and does it involve violence or capital punishment?

Well, the answer is neither of the above. So lets move on from that suggestion. My own belief - before checking the definition - was a system that encouraged the best bits from each of the parties involved and reduced the amount of party politics indulged in. It is brief and simplistic, but is, I think, a general impression of what can happen. This is counter-balanced with the many arguments of nothing getting achieved and party squabbles over political coalitions getting in the way. This is coupled with a constant assumption that the House of Commons is only credible and successful when governments rail road over the voting process with a huge majority, based sometimes, on the vagaries of the voting system itself.

Other options are outlined below:

Wikipedia
UK Parliament glossary
Polling prediction

This final report, in downloadable format, is from the House of Commons library and outlines all the previous cases of a hung parliament in the UK and some of the resolutions taken.

It is the best I managed to find online - and just shows the quality of resources available on our government records system - forgetting, obviously, the significant amount that is airbrushed or blatantly censored.

The BBC should be ashamed to accept the musings of an investment bank analyst for political predictions and critiques. They are hardly the most impartial judges in the world.

Look the private interest groups are getting restless at the thought that the British government might get a left-wing coalition to move the UK forward with public services and civic investment.

How can this happen under a Labour government?

2010-02-23T20:11:00.004Z

A private healthcare firm is taking over the complete running of an NHS hospital in what is a first for the UK.

by Yuri Prasad

Bosses of global healthcare firms were licking their lips this week as the government prepared to hand the running of an NHS hospital to a private company.

Hinchingbrooke hospital in Cambridgeshire will be the first to be taken over by a non-NHS company. This is a major escalation of health service privatisation.

Campaigners’ anger grew as it became clear that the chair of one company in the bidding is bankrolling a Tory MP.

Is this a confusing defeatist acceptance by this Labour government? An assumption that the only way to successfully run a hospital is to put it out to tender in the private sector? Will cash tills be installed in the corridors and receptions of NHS hospitals? How will the company look to make a profit? Does it make sense to remove (profit) capital out of the NHS budgets?

My biggest worry - and one that scares me a great deal - is the development of a political consensus that agrees that the future lies with the private sector. This cannot be allowed to happen. Profit should never exist or be mentioned within any hospital environment. The above article highlights the avenues of protest available against this proposal.

The UFO files

2010-02-21T21:14:00.003Z

Newly released UFO files from the UK government.

"The files contain a wide range of UFO-related documents covering the years 1994-2000.
Find out more about close encounters, strange illnesses, flying ‘Toblerones’ and unidentified objects tracked on radar."

All other released files also stored on the above link.

Do you believe? Like Danny Dyer.

Dutch double-speak

2010-02-21T10:24:00.004Z

"Geert Wilders’ populist anti-immigration 'Freedom Party (PVV)"

Check out this article on Liberal Conspiracy about the fragile political situation in the Netherlands due to the ongoing presence of Dutch troops in Afghanistan.

My worry, however, - and something that happens a lot in society, especially in the media/propaganda/political society - is the use of double-speak. How can someone with policies like these ever possibly claim to believe in freedom? Or is he using the word 'freedom' in his parties title to try and create that impression in voters minds, whilst advocating, at times, the total opposite.

Language is very powerful - especially in politics.

Always apply context before definition.

The Podcast Four - Issues and Tissues

2010-02-21T09:49:00.006Z

Latest episode from The Podcast Four

This week the discussion basis was, “Issues.” George was patronising and Dom was angry, together, there was issues and tissues. Well no tissues, but it rhymes.

Topics discussed; Harsh opening, new name, few issues, researching diseases, benefit of the rant, hindering, hyper eye guy, patronise, studio 2.0, threats of violence, Hitler accent, what is this YouTube you speak of? Techno-memory, white rappers again, social commentary, pale in mental health, John Maher twitter twat, sex napalm, oozing fuck, white dick supremacist, dropping n-bombs, Coopers roommate, she was fit, motherfucking email, superfan, can’t kill him, wordplay, ‘book, not racist usually means racist, Scottish and Irish denied language, Al in, some talk of this football thing, castle faced Italians, all footballers are rapists, Haiti Vs 9/11, light hearted notes, Katona, Dyer radio, swearing, Dyer on coke - on stage - on unemployment, think Richard think, George don’t know, Noah’s yacht, Doug Stanhope, stiro-gram? Nope, foetus-porn, full on John Maher racist, Engrish, 30 goodbyes, Dom’s plea, goodbye, end.

Written by the bwilliantly named - Dom the ... (fill in space appropriately)

YouGov shows smallest Tory lead for 14 months

2010-02-20T23:30:00.000Z

Taken from UK Polling Report

There is a YouGov poll in tomorrow’s Sunday Times which, according to Sky, has top line figures of CON 39%(nc), LAB 33%(+1), LDEM 17%(-1). Unsurprisingly there is no great change from Friday’s figure, but the lead does still seem to be shrinking and this is the smallest gap from YouGov since 2008.

More to come later when we see what other questions the Sunday Times asked. There is also a rumour about of a second poll showing the Conservatives with a 10 point lead – I have no idea what that is, or if it is true. We shall see.

Daily Mail headline of the day

2010-02-20T23:08:00.001Z

HAS RUSSELL BRAND INFECTED DRIVERS WITH AIDS?

or

IS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GIVING THE BRITISH PEOPLE CANCER?

I'm sure I have seen both before.

Make your own Mail headline with Daily Mail-o-matic

White terrorism just doesn't fit the narrative - Joseph Stack

2010-02-19T11:04:00.005Z

So a white man, with views similar to that of the Tea Party movement in the USA, flies a plane into a government building. Aiming, as his suicide letter claims, to kill 'hundreds of people', because he does not like big government. His name is Joseph Stack - and his actions caused people to jump out of tower block windows, similar to another event you might have caught on the news in 2001.

Read this Fox News report, can you find the word terrorist? Can you find the pulling apart of his principles? Can you find the fear we should have of those angry, white, tea party people with fake passports and pilot training course applications. No. This is not terrorism - this does not fit the narrative - this is not a national security issue. Remember the case on Christmas Day? The guy who blew up his balls in an attempt to blow up a plane? That was 24 hour coverage. Wall to wall, non-stop scaremongering. This has passed the people of the UK by without hardly a mention. Would the coverage have been different had he been called Mohammed bin-al-Joseph Stackoumoun? You bet it would. Had his suicide note been filled with comments about Allah, the axis of evil and US imperialism. It reeks. It is plain and simple double standards.

Oh, and if your anti-EU, you might just claim he was speaking sense. Got to love the intelligent terrorists eh? Unbelievable.

A Tale of Two Tories

2010-02-18T20:49:00.006Z

One day. Two Tory MPs. Two opposite ends of the media spectrum. Left-wing BBC morning radio show, and right-wing online churnalism. Two opposite ends of the political spectrum. The same political party. The Conservative Party. Who's tale is the truth?

Sir Nicholas Winterton and his ranting rage against the British public, a public who dare question why the tax-payer should fund his first-class rail travel. He claims that it would not be possible for the poor soul to get on with his important work while mixing with the masses in standard class. Oh no, not at all, we just pay the £300 difference. How could he possibly afford it on his measly MPs salary.

Darty David Cameron is next - did you know he was a huge fan of slobbing out with a Guinness and watching the darts on TV. A 'man of the people ya know'. A right royal John Smith. A Jonesey. Every-man's man. Or that is what he would have us believe. Or worse than that - this image is what his paid advisers have advised him to want to have us believe. Keeping up? No, nor me.

Anyway the crucial point is which version of Tory principle and character is the true one*? Well even the Daily Mail bunch on the bottom of the online article have ganged up on Darty David. They don't believe a word he says.

The reaction to Sir Nicholas' anger is wholly different. We know he is speaking his mind. That's the point. He is leaving parliament at the next election, so can say whatever he likes, like when you tell colleagues the truth you have been thinking all along the day you leave a job. No comeback. Not for him. But will this have a negative impact on the general election - it might stick in the mind of a few voters who refuse to accept the Tory "we are your friends, we can be who you want us to be" approach.

As long as the Tories don't forget 'the standard class' if they are elected.

*This article written on Tank the Tories highlights brilliantly the 'true face of David Cameron'

Newswipegate - An update - Clifford Speaks!

2010-02-18T19:33:00.004Z

Max Clifford spoke today about the case involving Starsuckers and the News of the World. Clifford claimed he has never asked for an injunction. The Starsuckers blog outlines the case in greater detail.

Their letter to us of the 23rd October by Partner Magnus Boyd states:

“The purpose of this letter is to invite your written confirmation by no later than 11am on 23 October that Mr Cowell’s name and the sums he has paid to Mr Clifford will be beeped in such a way as to ensure that your viewers cannot deduce this information from the film…. Please may we hear from you by 11am confirmation sought failing which we shall advise our client to apply to the court for relief including but not limited to an injunction.”

Well - and call me stupid if you must - but that sounds pretty much like a threat of an injunction. Albeit in jumped-up legal language, 'confirmation sought failing' is a top quality piece of garbage expertly termed the words of justice. I beg to differ if I call it the language of oppression, freedom killing, Big Brother (the bad one) style behaviour.

David Cameron - Are you having a laugh?

2010-02-18T15:45:00.008Z

This article on The Daily Mail website highlights exactly what is wrong with politics today, he is trying to claim he is a 'man of the people' when everyone can see he is clearly not. Look at the comments on the bottom of the Mail article and even the right-wing 'mailers' can see right through it.

Does it not make you laugh? What a fool.

"The Tory leader has given an interview in which he talks about his love of darts, canned Guinness and 'gritty' shows on the telly."

He is trying to be the 'new' Tony Blair, and he thinks this is what the British people want, if so, then his advisers should be sacked immediately. Just be yourself David, and let the public decide if they like you. Don't treat us like fools. Please.

The real David Cameron?
Or maybe we will find out when he does this?
The Daily Mash take an alternative version. Cameron partial to a spot of light porn.

Luciana Berger - Labour candidate in Liverpool

2010-02-18T15:00:00.003Z

Political scandal in Liverpool is brewing up with the naming of a candidate who doesn't even know the name and history of Bill Shankly. Does she know who The Beatles are I hear you cry? What about the River Mersey? Or even the crossing ferry?

Well, in true Liverpudlian style, Ricky Tomlinson has offered his services to the Socialist Labour Party to stand as a potential candidate. If you were wondering what all the fuss is about, read some of the comments in this article, or even the criticism from various political blogs, regional newspapers and, of course, other local candidates.

It certainly makes for an interesting debate about selecting candidates - a problem all parties seem to have. It is incredibly difficult to select individuals who have no affiliation to the area, and sounds like a centralised selection policy. Well, if Tomlinson does indeed stand, it should make for a popular campaign. The central-order-of-folks who made this decision will maybe think twice next time? Or buy them a book of local history and culture, with the instructions, 'read this from front to back -twice'.

Sir Nicholas Winterton - Tory MP - "The public are wrong"

2010-02-18T10:19:00.007Z

Sir Nicholas Winterton, Conservative MP for Macclesfield, claims "the public are wrong" to believe that MPs should travel 'standard' class.

The expenses fiasco has been 'misrepresented' by the media.

A 'different' type of people travel 'standard' class, preventing him from doing any work.

The expenses scandal, surrounding Sir Nicholas, has been outlined here (and some information about the MP himself, and here at the Macclesfield Express

Check out the audio on Radio Five Live, it was the Stephan Nolan show between 10am and midday.

His utter contempt for the public was astounding, and I wonder if David Cameron, the bastion of cleaning up the expenses system - the moral headlight on how to deal with the expenses fiasco - who himself claimed for mortgage interest and oil for his gas lamp, would agree with Sir Nicholas' belief 'that the public are wrong'. That when the public want something - sometimes they should bow down to the better judgement of the first class individuals who represent them.

You can also listen to the audio here at Guido Fawkes.*

Not only can you listen to the audio clip, but if you check out the comments section you can read the Tory reaction to the comments, and the denials and true feelings that come over constantly. Finally check out the time on the post by Guido - 12:41pm. Check out the time this article was posted - 10:19am. George brings you this unbiased political/media coverage first (wink,wink).

Newswipegate - An update

2010-02-17T19:16:00.005Z

After yesterday's post - and the censorship of a Starsuckers clip that was due to go out after the NOTW/Terry segment, an update has been published today on the Starsuckers blog.

It provides a fantastic timeline of the events surrounding the News of the World, and its attempts to censor information from the British public.

This is a very interesting section -

-Last week we were told categorically that the Starsuckers piece would be in Tuesdays Newswipe

-On the day of transmission we were told by the production team that the segment had been cut for pressures of time, just hours before broadcast.

-Further calls elsewhere in the BBC told us that the segment was cut as it was fraught with legal problems and that the beeb did not want a lengthy battle with News International, a view further supported by messages we have received once it kicked off on Twitter.

-Since then we've had categorical denials of this from several members of the Newswipe team and from Brooker himself (someone who I greatly admire). Brookers tweet suggests that they may use the piece in the future, which will now have to be in the next series. This seems unlikely given that it's a topical news program and that the next series will be going out nearly a year after the original story.

-I have learned that doll in Adam Curtis' short was deliberately blacked out as a form of protest against the BBC for blanking out practically every other face in the doc.

Make your own mind-up. Not seen the film - so can't wait to watch it and the banished clip - but banning anything because you don't want the public to see your true values and principles is worse than John Terry and Ashley Cole put together. Imagine that, would that make the front page?

Fined for dropping a banana skin - don't slip-up with Big Brother Watch

2010-02-17T18:16:00.008Z

This may sound like it came signed, sealed and delivered from the Daily Mail - but alas this is a stupidly true account of someone being fined £50 for her child dropping a banana skin. The explanations and details of this case are outlined by this Big Brother Watch article - a real bastion of independent analysis and coverage (not a Tory 'think-tank' at all).

Now not taking responsibility for toddlers who cause havoc in the public arena has long since been a huge concern for alarmed residents of the area. And this could go two ways - the serious element - an over-arching, totalitarian nightmare of government interference in every element of our lives. A fucking nightmare. The swear word here is an essential and sometimes forgotten part of modern written newspaper coverage. Coupled with the obvious linkage I have with the Big Brother, the good one, concerns have to be raised.

Seriously though, in a sarcastic way, surely this is just a nimby-fied, power-mad, complaint-driven - individual - the kind I would rather avoid in every aspect of my life. The rule itself is fine. The application, like so many, is down to the individual; something the blog post explains very well. Plenty of other articles also highlight this theme - sticklers. Does anyone like sticklers? But if we don't laugh, we have to cry; so I say we should keep a watch over crazy-eyed toddler's who throw polluting litter and syringes overboard into the vicinity of the fair and proper British folks.

Private Eye - No.1256 - Round-up

2010-02-17T13:13:00.004Z

Official site here

Round-up:

John Terry on the front page of the Sun, and why this is full of double-standards with the full-on stench of set-up, 'my-family-is-happy-now' syndrome*.

*Especially when you consider that Terry is a columnist in the above tabloid pile of shite. This should have been the real John Terry front page though.

-

Lord Hanningfield, former Tory leader of Essex county council, stepped down on 5th February after being charged under the theft act - robbing bastard. There are also other concerns about the deal he signed in Dec. 2009 with computer firm IBM. This came after previous outsourcing private communication deals failed, and cost the taxpayer millions.

-

Alastair Campbell and Tony Blair both used the child deaths in Iraq as a reason to justify the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq. George has previously commented on these two 'pre-emptive war criminals'. This time they mess about with the figures about child deaths before the invasion, and claim to have saved the lives of 50,000 Iraqi children since. Google the numbers for yourself - there is plenty of evidence to the contrary, here is one article I found myself.

**Remember to buy issue 1256 to get a full run down on many other stories of interest.

Barclays Bank leader John Varley
Sir Kevin Tebbit with hidden agendas
Nationwide building society refusing to pay tax in the UK (£15million)
The Guardian/Observer somewhat negative attitude to each other
AND MANY MORE...

Brooker - Newswipe - Series 2 - Episode 5 - Newswipe-gate?

2010-02-16T21:46:00.007Z

Find the latest episode here

Also don't forget this little snippet of scandalous censorship on the BBC by the NOTW.

Taken from this blog

"A couple of months ago I filmed a piece for Charlie Brookers excellent Newswipe, the intention being to expose the gaping hypocrisy and contradiction of the NOTW's stance. The piece gained even more potency after the NOTW broke the John Terry story, and Tom Crone had been publicly claiming that News International were ruthless defenders of free speech. Brooker's team had specifically asked us to hold back the story of our legal battle, to give Newswipe the exclusive. Last week we were told that the Starsuckers vs NOTW story would definitely be in this weeks final show, neatly coming after the John Terry section.

This afternoon we were told that the piece has been cut, and we have heard from several sources that this is due to the BBC caving in and avoiding a fight with the NOTW.

The irony that a piece about censorship has in itself been censored has not passed us by. I think it's highly unlikely that this has anything to do with Mr Brooker himself, and more the influence of a spinless BBC legal department."

George is furious that freedom of speech has been taken away from the British public by the so-called bastions of free speech and the written word. Grrr (appalling reaction I know) but I will come up with another, more constructive plan. I'm sure.

BBC bidding for future sports rights

2010-02-16T21:02:00.005Z

Should the BBC be bidding large amounts of licence fee money for exclusive coverage to sporting events? After reading this article on Digital Spy I was slightly confused by the "fair market test on the sports rights" that the BBC are sending out to an independent consultant firm. This seems madness, they must have some staff who can make that judgement, and even if they get a recommended figure, would that be accurate anyway? These bidding processes are notoriously unpredictable, with rival bidders paying much higher amounts than the second and lower bidding group. This example illustrates how the BBC can "overestimate the commercial value" of certain sporting rights.

The sports rights within the UK bring in vast commercial and public broadcasting revenue, as this report confirms, the annual value of the top ten sports rights within the UK is £1.3bn. The report by Ofcom also brings to our attention the domination of the Premier League. It is valued greater than all the other individual football tournaments and sports themselves who make up the top ten.

The report confirms the difficulties the BBC face when determining how much to bid for individual broadcasting licences, it is a minefield; however the detail within the Ofcom study allows anyone with half a brain to work out the relative values based on perceived growth and potential viewers, balanced alongside the 'public service broadcasting' principle the BBC is duty bound to uphold. It should not be outsourced to a private consultancy firm. Decide for yourselves, but I do hope they manage to bring the cricket back to BBC TV. That is my only request. Please.

What's happening to TV news?

2010-02-16T19:43:00.005Z

Segment from Charlie Brooker (Screenwipe and Newswipe), including the brilliant Adam Curtis.

Included because of the quality of news today in the modern, post-digital world. In a word. Shit. Or two words. Fucking Shit.

As for the news that Newswipe has been censored for two episodes running, it is becoming clear that the news-makers, be it print or TV, are shitting bricks when it comes to the public beginning to understand the techniques involved, and truth behind the majority of coverage.

Watch the film Starsuckers if you get chance. Check out this link to the blog and the issues surrounding censorship and the News of the Shite.

http://starsuckers3.blogspot.com/

Top of my "I've never voted Tory before" mock-up's

2010-02-16T17:29:00.004Z

http://ivenevervotedtory.wordpress.com/ Other images available at this new site which has become a huge hit online.

Credit - Sean Craig

http://watchingwithgeorge.blogspot.com/2010/02/ive-never-voted-tory-before-tweets.html
http://watchingwithgeorge.blogspot.com/2010/02/ive-never-voted-tory.html

Cameron - ITV 'primetime' slot?

2010-02-16T14:47:00.007Z

So after the vitriol, anger and electioneering accusations levelled at Gordon Brown after his appearance on ITV on Sunday evening, mainly from Tory blogs, newspapers and supporters, it seems the same is going to happen with David Cameron. Taking advantage of your dead children and your family? Using your friends to come across well? Some of the disgusting comments made against Brown; even from the mainstream journalists (Quentin Letts) on Radio Five in particular.

This is all nonsense of course. No-one forced anyone to watch it. Brown came across well, and I am sure Cameron will or would do just the same if he were to do a similar programme. Both have had tragic episodes in their life, and if they would ever take advantage of it to secure an extra couple of votes, they should be ashamed of themselves, and disowned by their current wife's and children! Seriously!

Personalities, life experience and personal opinions will always affect how you judge a politician, and they are one of the only professions that have to be 'judged'. However, the only issue that should really matter, with any vote you cast, is the policies and principles of the parties you choose to vote for. Bear that in mind next time you see or hear about the next episode of 'Gordon and Sarah' on 'Living' or 'Cameron in Ibiza' on his beloved Sky One.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a203381/david-cameron-for-itv-primetime-slot.html

Dispatches - Channel 4 - Kids don't count

2010-02-15T20:37:00.012Z

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches

In 2009 more than one in five children left primary school having failed to grasp the basic maths skills required by the national curriculum. In a two-part special, Dispatches asks why and how are we failing Britain's children when it comes to maths.

Dispatches follows a class of final-year pupils at Barton Hill Primary School in Bristol as their staff adopt a radical approach to teaching, in a bid to improve the maths ability of these children before they head off to secondary school.

The problem couldn't be more urgent. Research shows that failing to grasp the fundamentals of maths at primary school leaves only a one in ten chance of catching up by the age of 16.

Dispatches hears from leading lights in the worlds of business and academia - including the CEO of Sainsbury's, Justin King, and George Davies, formerly of Next and Asda - about the impact on the economy and on adult life of leaving school without basic maths skills.

In a provocative nationwide exercise, Dispatches examines the standard of primary maths teaching in this country by testing the teachers. No tricks; just 27 questions that a bright 11-year-old would be able to answer. The shocking results are revealed in the programme.

George Says:

How did maths teaching in schools become so poor? It is shocking. Not specifically the pupils - they are only young, and if you can teach a young child to 'get' maths, to understand the concept of there always being a correct answer, always including 'working out', the process being more important than the answer - children can catch-up. It was the teachers that shocked me the most. Only 46% passed a 'simple' maths test.

SAT tests need to be abolished. They went from learning about the secrets behind maths, to being taught specifically how to pass the SAT test. Nightmare. This might help schools appear to be teaching the basics. League table rankings improve, but does it help the kids understand the subject? From the evidence of this programme it would appear not. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have already dumped the dreaded SAT's, surely now is the time for England to do the same.

Check out the website for more information, feedback, and the dreaded test itself.

A test that George took, and as someone who thinks he knows a bit about 'mafs and dat', he was ashamed with his results. 65%. OK. Some basic mistakes made though. Back to school for George.

E.g: 1/2 x 1/4 = Any answers on a postcard

Some Comments from Channel 4 website:

ICANIWILLDOMATH on 15 February 2010 at 20:58

Being able to do basic mathematics including fractions and times tables without a calculator is a fundamental skill everyone needs, whether they are a mathematician or a manual worker. If the system is the problem, work towards changing it and if the teachers are the problem, educate them in how to do it properly but do stop whining about whose fault it is. There is far too much at stake here to keep doing it badly. I for one will make sure that my kids are mathematics literate before they get to school as I will not be leaving it to chance in the British education circus.

FIONA on 15 February 2010 at 21:25

As a teacher, I think the programme highlighted some very important issues, often lack of systematic teaching throughout the primary phase in maths leads to key problems in Years 5 and 6. Which unfortunately due to SATs pressure means some of those children who need that extra support as shown in the programme do not have the time available to consolidate the problems. Also I hope some ministers were watching those poor kids suffering because of the huge emphasis put on the SATs tests in Year 6. Its a very sad state of affairs when children hate maths so much!

"I've never voted Tory before..." Tweets galore -

2010-02-15T18:50:00.006Z

jeffica #ivenevervotedtory because I'm not selfish & believe it's better to help the majority in most need than the few [rich/middle class].

Im_Clarificus #IvenevervotedTory because they're the scummy bastards who introduced section 28, allowing years of bullying and abuse to be ignored.

TanktheTories RT @AndrewSkudder: #ivenevervotedtory because I have never been that drunk on a Thursday

M_J_Murphy #ivenevervotedtory because I don't want 4 million people thrown on the tory scrapheap again

JasonCharlton #ivenevervotedtory because Im not a millionaire and never went to Eton - so they wont want me too anyway

M_J_Murphy #ivenevervotedtory and I never will. You can tell when they're lying because their lips are moving.

Redmanthinks RT @johnaziz: #IvenevervotedLabour and #ivenevervotedtory because i hate mainstream politics and think they're all owned by the same scumbag bankers.

jeffica #ivenevervotedtory 1. Thatcher 2. We're still paying for Thatcher. 3. My kids will still be paying for Thatcher. 4. They allowed Thatcher.

jennycarr1981 #i'venevervotedtory because I know that it is ridiculous to believe that 54% of girls from deprived areas are pregnant by 18.

thevinmeister #i'venevervotedtory and I never will purely because D. Cameron has one of those faces that you would not get bored of punching repeatedly...

Brucemoll indeed #i'venevervotedtory - and would rather poke a stick in my eye than do so

ThegoodBuck #I'venevervotedtory because I have a social conscience. Because I like having hospitals. Because fascism is so passe.

http://twitter.com/#search?q=i%27venevervotedtory

http://ivenevervotedtory.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Never-Voted-Tory-Never-Will/306522471945?v=wall#!/pages/Never-Voted-Tory-Never-Will/306522471945?v=wall

"I've never voted Tory before..."

2010-02-15T18:34:00.007Z

What a day of fuck-ups, set-ups and miss placed decimal points. The Tory party seem to be messing about on purpose these days. 54% or 5.4%, who cares? It's only an important social policy announcement. How about the expensive advertising campaign paid for by the Ashcroft millions? Oh that seems to be going according to plan, does it not? You sure? I keep seeing them all over the place so they must be popular? Shit. I just read one. Sack the PR company.

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/02/15/tories-labour-compete-over-ivenevervotetory-parody/
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/02/15/tories-should-join-us-in-the-real-world/

The reaction on Twitter has been equally hilarious. Many hundreds of thousands of brilliantly funny and witty responses to the question - I've never voted Tory because... (a self-created fuck-up from Tory HQ)

http://mydavidcameron.com/tory

Absolutely brilliant spoofs on this site. The first one with George Osborne, and his idiots guide to economics, takes some beating for the award of - 'It's funny because it's true'.

BNP votes to ditch whites...

2010-02-14T21:36:00.001Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8514736.stm

The British National Party has voted to scrap its whites-only membership rules after an extraordinary general meeting.

Members who had gathered in Essex voted to amend the party's constitution to let black and Asian people join.

The BNP had been threatened with a possible court injunction over its whites-only membership policy by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The party must now go back to court in March when a judge will decide if the new rules meet race relation laws.

It is thought the BNP has removed references to "indigenous British" people, paving the way for black and Asian people to be admitted to the party for the first time.

Obvious headlines - The Podcast Four

2010-02-14T15:16:00.001Z

Private Eye - Number crunching

2010-02-14T13:56:00.001Z

4000 - New crimes created by legislation introduced by "new" Labour

4 - Months it took Lord Goldsmith to decide that going to war with Iraq wasn't one of them.

Fuckers.

The Podcast Four - Religion-ed Out!

2010-02-14T12:03:00.003Z

http://podcastfour.blogspot.com/2010/02/podcast-religion-140210-religioned-out.html

This week the discussion basis was, “Religion.” Benni Blanco’s has some strong opinions on why Burkas are not as cool as Ninja attire.

Topics discussed;

Religion, studio description, Shipman repeals, Noah’s Lark, Pete whoring Jones, worst jobs? Dog biscuit packing, old men binge drinking, serious for a bit, alcoholism, Oliver Reeds wine, a chick high priest, I’m a Celebrity C-list C-word, reality TV over, Nadia’s record deal, clever gay people, chavs kissing chavs, wolf whistles working in Wrexham, Boy McRacers, local fighting back in the day, from the Bronx to Caernarfon, show kids HBO‘s “OZ,” three months dead, July 31st is a date, Wii abuse, it’s always the caretaker, or clown, or cleaner, the Box question re-appears, drawing on podcasts, Gone Baby Gone morals, stealing kids, serious for a bit, K-Fed better than Britney? Train stolen kids to be the new turtles, shitbag school, leaving parents for Morgan Freeman, stupid kids, end.

Stan-hope of the day (Bonus edition) - Immigration

2010-02-12T21:40:00.001Z

Stan-hope of the day - Would you believe in Christianity?

2010-02-12T21:17:00.003Z

"If you believed in eternal life after death, then why do you wear a seat-belt."

Robin Hood Tax

2010-02-11T21:54:00.001Z

http://robinhoodtax.org.uk/

"Left" vs."Right" - The debate that confuses

2010-02-11T21:15:00.004Z

http://fringeelements.ning.com/profiles/blogs/left-vs-right

Consider the most basic point: what is "left" and what is "right?" Dictionaries tend to only offer for definition, for instance, that leftism means the principles and views of the left whereas rightism means the principles and views of the right. They do not actually specify what those "principles and views" are, and for good reason. There are no 'principles and views' that are necessarily right but not left or viceversa. The terms are arbitrary. They can mean anything or nothing, and often do. What is "left" to you may be "right" to me, or to my grandpa, or to a person in another state or country or in a different language.

Article continues at above link...

Subliminal Mind Control, Brain Washing, Media & Psychology

2010-02-11T21:06:00.003Z

Break away and reach out for other sources of information. Limit the amount of information you take in from the corporate channels of propaganda. Get good food and good nutrition for the mind.

"This guy is right about the news. The more you watch, the less you really know about current affairs."

How to brainwash a nation

2010-02-11T20:53:00.002Z

"This amazing interview was done back in 1985 with a former KGB agent who was trained in subversion techniques. He explains the 4 basic steps to socially engineering entire generations into thinking and behaving the way those in power want them to. It's shocking because our nation has been transformed in the exact same way, and followed the exact same steps.

Top ten things on Sarah Palin's Hand - From Liberal Values

2010-02-11T20:43:00.004Z

With everyone talking about Sarah Palin’s crib notes on her hand, I would like to present The Top Ten Things Written on Sarah Palin’s Hand (after passing them through a spell checker). I know this is a lot of stuff to fit on a hand, but Palin has practice at this. After all, this is how she passed her tests in college.

10. Will cut taxes & reduce deficit at same time after elected

9. 12345 (My secret password for all internet sites)

8. Foreign Policy Experience–Can See Russia from Alaska

7. Obama is a Socialist (Note to self: look up what “socialist” means)

6. Uphold the Constitution (Note to self: must read the Constitution some day)

5. Ask for divine intervention from God when have questions about what government should do

4. Stay away from explaining about dinosaurs and people–audience often laughs at me when I talk about this unless all Republicans

3. Explain how it is cold outside, proving global warming is a hoax

2. Make sure not to use any Purell on hand before speech

1. If not listed here, just say whatever a Maverick would say

http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=12154

But the funniest comment by far is made by someone below the post itself - and made me nearly die with laughter. I had to go to the hospital to recover from the near-death experience caused by the laughter generated by this comment.

"WHO CROSSES OUT STUFF ON THEIR HAND????" - Palin is dumb as a brick.

Stan-hope of the day 2 (bonus edition) - Freedom, the pledge of allegiance and liberty

2010-02-11T19:09:00.002Z

Stan-hope of the day... All drugs should be legal

2010-02-11T18:31:00.003Z

Comment:

The old guy who "doesn't do drugs" at the end of his story probably had a med list a mile long. The reason he's old in the first place is because chemicals are keeping his arteries from clogging or correcting some other imbalance. And EVERY drug has side effects. Tylenol is a deadly liver poison. It's all about dosing. And personal sovereignty (which is ignored by our rulers).

Philip Pullman

Should drugs be legalised? Of course, and as soon as possible. Every human society we know about has used drugs to dull pain, to bring about sleep, to prolong wakefulness, to increase physical endurance, to induce hallucinations, or just to feel better and promote good fellowship. The war on drugs, so-called, is a policy of utter and unforgivable folly; you might as well make war on human nature.

Legalising drugs would have three huge and immediate benefits: it would cut the link between drugs and crime, and empty the prisons; it would ensure that supplies were pure and reliable and not cut with chalk or worse; and it would provide a vast new source of tax for the Treasury. No one was a bigger fan of Prohibition than Al Capone.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/20/drugs-britain-opinion-debate

Brooker - Newswipe - Series 2 - Episode 4

2010-02-11T13:46:00.003Z

http://bbc.co.uk/i/qpkdg/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qpkdg/b00qpkch/Newswipe_Series_2_Episode_4/

A caustic mix of gags and finger-pointing as Charlie Brooker finds fun and fault with the news. They say politics is an instant turn off, so it's a good job this episode doesn't focus on that. No it doesn't. Not at all.

Blair, Bush and Campbell; Lie.

2010-02-11T02:19:00.005Z

The scene is set, the war is on. Saddam is gone, Aye-raq-is-free. Does it matter whether the war was legal or not? That would be silly. War = legal. Why go into such detail? Surely regime change is the key point in this political debate of long-lasting, de-motivating, "hey, no-one gives a fuck", war-crime? Inquiry after inquiry, millions more spent, to just find out, in the end, it was slightly legal, its all about interpretation you see...

Soldier's die; Alastair Campbell gets emotional, Tony Blair really 'believed' in what he was doing, nearly 250,000 innocent Iraqi citizens die because of the 'free' armies we deploy.

Oh, what a wonderful life. People die, people get angry, people don't understand, people 'go-along' with it. People, oh, those people - never talk about it - perfect.

Iraq, the subject the British people are bored of, the war, oh, I forgot, that war, no-one cares. We still have 'help for heroes'. That's all that matters.

Stateless Law?

2010-02-09T01:21:00.001Z

http://theuklibertarian.com/2010/02/08/video-of-the-day-stateless-law/

Taken from above site...

This video by Ryan Faulk is an excellent introduction to how law might work in an anarcho-capitalist society and why the situation we have now (state monopoly of law and courts) is extremely bad.

On a side note, of all the people who post thoughtful YouTube videos on this topic, but that most people have never heard of, I think Ryan is my favourite. He used to post videos under the name “Confederal Socialist” (I believe he actually was originally a socialist when he created the account and gradually moved towards liberty) quite prolifically and his work was always thought provoking. One day YouTube banned him for some stupid infraction and removed all his videos, which was a huge shame. Thankfully somebody has re-uploaded most of his best work under the username CSMirror, and he now posts new videos at his site Fringe Elements. I strongly suggest taking a look over his work if you’re even remotely interested in these ideas.

Tower Block of Commons - Series 1 Episode 2 - Comment

2010-02-08T23:13:00.007Z

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/tower-block-of-commons/episode-guide/series-1/episode-2

(Watch this is you already haven't.)

Last week George wrote a small article on the first episode, made into the largest article in the history of Watching With George by other comments taken from the channel four website.

Shocked, ashamed, reflective, sometimes individually, sometimes all at the same time, readers (if I have any), these are a brief snippet of emotions you will feel if you have watched this series so far. At first, with my anti-Tory, anti-establishment, anti-politicians-if-I'm-honest, attitude; I expected to be laughing with anger at the Tories, who would obviously fail to empathise with any of the commoners, introducing to the watching audience their bigoted perceptions, free market economic ideas about how to solve the 'council estate problems', and undoubtedly look down upon the 'scratter's and chav's' with disdain. How I was wrong. How my judgement and own bigoted views were highlighted.

The Tory, Tim Loughton, was astounding. Honestly; was so impressed by his attitude, his level of understanding, his empathy. Not that Tory-ism is the answer, but if this guy was prime minister, it wouldn't be all bad.

The Labour MP, on the other hand, was a wanker (my own bigoted views re-surfacing). He has no clue about his own real-life, it seems, never mind anyone else's. He takes his own wife for granted, he thinks the 'women's' place is in the home, he assumes that being a mum is an easy job and refuses to take any real part in the idea behind the show. Keeping his little affluent perk's, refusing to take part in the show in the first place without being allowed to bring along his wife, and then (some would say to his credit*) paying for a meal for his 'guests' to discuss politics.

Mark Oaten was somewhat accosted by the women he was staying with for suggesting she was wrong to spend £42 on cigarettes, when she later found out he had (aside from the money for interest re-payments) spent £110 on three irons on his expenses forms. He then claimed that the situation was 'awkward' when asked about his own affluent lifestyle, belongings, property and earnings. Really? That must be really hard, that feeling 'awkward' thingy.

I am going to save the other MP involved, Nadine Dorries, till the next episode, in the interest of fair and balanced bullshit. Although check this out, because I cannot write a political article without criticising the Tories in some way, it goes against my religion.

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/02/04/nadine-dorries-latest-expenses-raise-more-questions/

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/02/08/special-investigation-tory-mp-claimed-70k-for-pr-company-services-in-2½-years/

*This would have had far more effect if he had managed to do this on a budget, without the ongoing help of his wife.

**Will hopefully add some comments from the channel four website tomorrow, they do not appear to be allowing any at the time of writing. You have to love the freedom of spontaneous speech and vented, raging anger, that I am sure some would have felt after watching it.

***In the spirit of 'good' Tories - Here is what appears to be the other one.

http://watchingwithgeorge.blogspot.com/2010/01/rory-stewart-good-tory-mp.html

SPANISH RESIDENT on Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 12:05

I thoroughly enjoyed the Tower Block of Commons last night- a very well balanced documentary, I thought. I watched in awe as the residents whined about how little money thet had to live on despite the fact they bought cigarettes and marijuana, kept pets and had their nails done!! I live in a tiny traditional Catalan village and have done so for ten years now. Here there is no benefit system- if you hit hard times you can take out what you put in. If you dont work, you dont eat- it really is that simple.The expectation is for families to help through troubled times- if they cannot the governemt has various schemes to help. My friend is a single mother who has joined the army where she is given free accommodation and child care and has a sense of pride and hope as well as studying and training for her future. We are facing a crisis here in Spain as unemployment levels rise-our tiny village creates posts for people suffering hardship- they are given a broom and sweep the streets for their pay and they do so with pride. I am appalled at the decline in values and standards in UK now and could not or would not return to live in Britain. When will the benefit system be addressed? I hope the MPs who endured the hardships of living as these people do as well as having to be criticised for actually working, are allowed to give the viewers an open and honest evaluation of what they relly feel- this could be a very interesting ptrogramme. Come on Britain, find your spirit again. Create job opportunities for everyone on benefits- community work would be a start- the welfare system was created to offer a helping hand and should not be a way of life-and in my opinion benefits should not be paid to feed pets and buy cigarettes. I grew up in a council estate as did many of my friends- our parents worked and did whatever was needed to provide for us. We had very little in terms of posessions though I did notice most of the homes on the programme had flat screen televisions. I pray some MP finds the strength to address this abuse and get Britain back to being GREAT again. Until then, I am staying here, thank you.

JENNA MAC on Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 13:46

Havn't the two ladies who Nadine Dorries stayed with heard of contraception? Why bring more children into poverty (they had eight between them). These people can afford fags, dogs and gameboys but don't have beds. The Jeremy Kyle generation are alive and well.

PENNY on Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 00:27

Plse dont vote tory just coz new labour are bad, tories will be worse than maggie thatcher if they get in. that means things will only get worse. benefits are too low to live on. it should be a basic human right to be able to feed yourself and keep warm without having to choose between the two. even working people cant afford to live on minimum slave wages. no one should be paid less than £15 per hour. greedy bankers get bailed out, MP's fiddle their expenses. this system sucks. people should start rebelling more. we want a true democracy ie of by and for the people. not for corporations banks and m.p's. wish i had the money to go live in an eco village and be self sufficient. its the only way i can see that you can get freedom in this police state poverty ridden britain. politicians have sold us down the river. the rih get richer and the poor get poorer. they want us all to die off. to die a slow death of malnutrition and hypothermia coz we cant afford a decent meal or to heat our homes. dorry but i think its going to get worse not better. modern life is crap unless youre well off. WHERES THE HELP FOR US POOR IN BRITAIN? WHY CANT WE GET FOOD AID?

ROBYN MCKENZIE on Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 00:07

MPs you should try living on benefits for at least 6months. Some of us are too sick to work. key or card meters for electricity and gas. sit in a cold unheated flat unable to feel well coz youre cold and hungry coz you cant afford the bills. Try walking up the stairs whilst junkies are shooting up leaving their human waste, blood urine faeces, remnants of junk food and bear cans that you have to step over to get to your door. you MPs make me sick. you do nothing to help us you just tell us we're scroungers when you put your hand in the coffers and get away with it. Forcing us to live in poverty is a crime against our human rights. no one should have to live on less than £130 per week. benfits are too low. its a pittance. i wish the british public would rebel like the french. no one should go hungry in britain we're supposed to be a rich country, but therse people who miss meals every day coz they cant afford it. We need more progs like this. EXPOSE THE POVERTY IN BRITAIN - when is oxfam going to give us food parcels?

JOANNIE on Monday, February 08, 2010 at 23:29

As a (54 year young)life-long resident of Newham, I find this series very watchable. Bad housing, indifferent councils and out-of-touch MP's have always been with us (check the records Channel4!). The scary fact is that in East London, much of the pre-war slums were destroyed not by Government initiatives, but by WAR!! Better housing conditions and greater social awareness came about, again as the result of, you've guessed it, WAR! In short, politicians of all parties were faced with a choice - social upheaval or social anarchy. Homeless people were initially housed in prefabs, some of which still exist today until better housing was built. It is a sad, sad day for the UK when our Right Honourable members are unable to learn from recent history. Even more important, the Ronan Point disaster in Canning Town (May 1968) should have sent out a stark message that Tower Blocks were not the answer for social housing, any more than the old tenements they replaced, yet still they build them. Greater onus should be placed on councils to maintain their housing stock, and stricter tenancy agreements would strike the balance between tenant and council rights & responsibilities. Councils need to have the machinery in place for tenants who are suddenly affected by financial hardship, without making them jump through impossible hoops. Equally, tenants must agree to keep their properties clean, tidy and not sub-let them out. These 4 MP's are to be applauded because to a greater or lesser extent, they have become involved. They are doing something every MP, every councillor, and social worker should do - go and live at the sharp end of the societies they work among and represent for at least a month. Make them survive on the benefits, make them jump through the hoops, make them queue up at council offices and jobcentres. Whilst I am not holding my breath as to the extent this series will change lives on these estates, it might just make the 3 major parties rething their coming manifestos

The best comment, in the humble opinion of George, is the one directly above. Please read it. MPs and Council estate tenants alike.

The Podcast Four - Episode 11 - Teaching. Tea? Ching!

2010-02-07T13:49:00.002Z

http://podcastfour.blogspot.com/2010/02/podcast-0011-070210-teaching-tea-ching.html

This week the discussion basis was, “Teaching and lecturing.” We had some facts that we wanted to give out, thereby teaching our international audience.

Topics discussed;

Touch wood(E), heartbreaking story, Alvin review, George confirmed not peado, UK jocks and football fucks, chess? Hockey ideas, fatties getting fatter, Katona again, George’s plea, 2 email test, The Fuse is mentioned, ramble, fails, serial killers, how to spot said killers, dot com for hack film, losing faith in the Office US, DVD question, impression time, back to killers, birthday - I can forgive but not forget - or forgive, would you go back? Random boners, gambling wages, bragging 3 cards, respect, top 3 British National Pricks, replacing DNA, JapRapeWormRapeGarden, ramble, Fox fucking News, UK vs. USA in terrorness - UK wins, 7 hours asking, “are you a terrorist?” And finally….nothing, some exam answers, speaking can be hard, quiz show contest finally exposed- you’re welcome, Who Wants to be Noel Edmonds, 1 million fails, end.

Republicans vote against socialism, then take credit for it.

2010-02-06T19:30:00.004Z

Economic stimulus, government investment and Barack Obama's recovery programme. The cornerstone of criticism coming from the Republicans. Communist, Stalinist (in the words of Bill O'Reilly) and even sometimes Nazi (utter disregard for historical fact or political ideology). Less government, less tax is the answer. Unless, of course, your name is Republican senator Geoff Davies, and your constituency has just received a $1 million grant for a local school system.

"Rep. Geoff Davis voted against the stimulus . . . but then boasted about a $1 million grant it provided for a local school system."

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2010/feb/05/having-their-cake-and-voting-against-it-too/

Obama mentioned this during his question and answer session with Republicans, and in true partisan style, they dismissed a policy based on who passed it, only to agree with the detail when the policy was broken down.

"There was an interesting headline in CNN today: 'Americans disapprove of stimulus, but like every policy in it.' And there was a poll that showed that if you broke it down into its component parts, 80 percent approved of the tax cuts, 80 percent approved of the infrastructure, 80 percent approved of the assistance to the unemployed. Well, that's what the Recovery Act was..."

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2010/feb/05/having-their-cake-and-voting-against-it-too/

A true indication of how media coverage can muddy the waters of people's perceptions. A policy is broken down into segments, and questions asked without any party affiliation, as in the CNN poll, a whole new perspective can emerge. Hurray for fair and balanced media.

Stewart Vs O'Reilly - Uncut!

2010-02-06T16:54:00.002Z

http://gawker.com/5465299/im-not-saying-your-mothers-a-whore-how-fox-news-censored-jon-stewart-vs-bill-oreilly

Or http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=12099 Videos available on both.

Brilliant analysis from 'Gawker'.

Fox News has generously placed the full, unedited conversation between Bill O'Reilly and Jon Stewart online, so we can see precisely how unfairly and deviously Fox edited the interview in order to weaken Stewart's case: A lot!

Last night on his show—Part Two of a ludicrously overhyped "faceoff" between O'Reilly and Stewart in which Stewart attempted, among other things, to present a critique of Fox as a fear-mongering GOP messaging operation—O'Reilly boasted that his edit of their 42-minute interview for broadcast was "a fair cut" and invited viewers to have a look at the unedited version online to judge for themselves: "Some of these idiots in the press who hate us, 'O'Reilly cut the interview to make Stewart look'—OK, all of that is bull. It's a fair cut. And then when you watch the cut and watch the whole interview you'll see it."

So we took him up on the offer, and guess what? If by "fair cut" O'Reilly means "cut in a manner that left some of Stewart's best lines, most effective arguments, and most convincing evidence out of the interview and hidden from the broadcast audience," then he's absolutely right.

Here's the best exchange of the whole interview, in which Stewart gets O'Reilly to admit that he thinks Barack Obama believes in "tyranny and socialism," and then asks him why Obama's most generous spending has been to bail out banks. He closed with this unanswerable question: "How many tyrants do you know that really suffer because they can't get cloture?" O'Reilly rejoindered with a lame joke about NBC, because what else could he do? None of this made the air:

Orwell, Wikipedia and Guantanamo-bay.

2010-02-06T16:31:00.004Z

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/of-orwell-wikipedia-and-guantanamo-bay/

Winston Smith, the protagonist in George Orwell’s “1984,” worked at a government job he hated, rewriting history to conform to current propaganda imperatives. This week, a group called Wikileaks asserted that the United States military appeared to have a Winston Smith of its own at the Guantánamo Bay naval base, mucking about with the way Wikipedia and news sites portray the base and, curiously, posting odd assertions about Fidel Castro.

Julian Assange of Wikileaks laid out evidence on the group’s web site Wednesday indicating that computers belonging to the base’s Joint Task Force-Guantánamo command were used for the suspicious online activity, including:

“deleting detainee ID numbers from Wikipedia last month, the systematic posting of unattributed ’self praise’ comments on news organization web sites in response to negative press, boosting pro-Guantánamo stories on the internet news site Digg and even modifying Fidel Castro’s encyclopedia article to describe the Cuban president as ‘an admitted transexual’ [sic].”

Mr. Assange’s report caught the attention of, among other news outlets, The Daily News of New York, which wrote about the situation on Thursday.

A denial followed a day later from Lt. Col. Edward Bush, a spokesman for the command’s public affairs office, The News reports today:

“There has been no attempt to alter/change any information that has been posted anywhere,” Lt. Col. Bush said in the statement e-mailed to us. “That would be unethical.”
Bush said in a subsequent phone call that there’s no way to know if any of the 3,000 uniformed military at Gitmo was responsible for the documented changes, but he promised his public affairs staff was not behind it. He also blasted Wikipedia for identifying one sailor in his office by name, who has since received death threats for simply doing his job - posting positive comments on the Internet about Gitmo.

The Wikileaks group’s main purpose is to create an “uncensorable” version of Wikipedia where people around the world could post leaked documents and other things governments didn’t want seen, without fear of the material being suppressed or the source being traced. So Mr. Assange and his colleagues have an obvious interest in exposing government attempts to manipulate popular Internet sites like Wikipedia and Digg for propaganda purposes.

Comments:

"I have been wondering, as media becomes increasingly digital, how do you maintain accurate records when digital data can be edited so easily? Without a paper copy, if you read something that is 5 years old, how can you be sure that it still presents the same information that it did 5 years ago? It could have been written yesterday for all you know.

Anyway, this is interesting, sort of like Big Brother in reverse.

Be careful, Little Brother is watching you!

— Paul T"

"I read 1984 in 1964, and when 1984 rolled around I thought perhaps that we might have escaped Orwell’s prophecy. But sadly, he has become a true prophet, and his prophecy materialized not in old corrupt Europe but new, hopeful, and free America. It is time to stop pretending that America has any edge on truth and freedom. We are as bad and likely worse than the systems we used to laugh at. There must be KGB and Stazi retirees chuckling into their vodka at our hypocrisy.

— Bob Sterry"George says: Looks like all my idol wrote about is coming true, especially surrounding the military and intelligence services. Freedom is the only way. Freedom of speech, thought and information.

Terry takes the sting out of the expenses?

2010-02-06T15:47:00.007Z

So the press is covered from front to back with the England ex-captain. A whole week of sensationalism, speculation and scandal. Who slipped under the radar? The MPs. Yes, they did get a days worth of coverage, yes it was the head story for the BBC and The Times, but seriously, the whole investigation cost more than was paid back. That is by far a more socially relevant story than John Terry having an affair. How did the investigation cost so much? Furthermore we are now hearing there is a little known loophole called parliamentary privilege. It beggars belief.

Politicians have urged the MPs facing charges over their expense claims not to use Parliamentary privilege to try to avoid court proceedings.

Lawyers for Labour MPs Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine have raised the issue of privilege.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the public would be outraged by the use of the principle - which normally protects MPs from civil actions.

The three MPs all deny charges which they face under the Theft Act.

So does a fourth politician who faces charges - the Tory peer Lord Hanningfield.

The politicians face charges of false accounting under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968. If found guilty they face a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8502026.stm

"Lawyers representing those who have been charged have raised with us the question of parliamentary privilege," Starmer said. "We have considered that question and concluded that the applicability and extent of any parliamentary privilege claimed should be tested in court."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/05/mps-expenses-criminal-charges-jail

Lord Hanningfield, who is charged with six counts of false accounting between March 2006 and May 2009, said he was "extremely disappointed" and insisted all his expenses claims had been made in good faith. He resigned as frontbench business spokesman in the Lords and from his post as leader of Essex county council, and was suspended from the parliamentary Conservative party.
The three MPs have engaged the same legal firm, Steel and Shamash, who also act as the Labour party's solicitors.
The MPs said in a joint statement: "We are clearly extremely disappointed that the DPP has decided to instigate proceedings against us. We totally refute any charges that we have committed an offence and we will defend our position robustly."
They added that they believed their cases should have been dealt with by the parliamentary standards commissioner, adding: "We are confident of our position and have been advised by eminent QCs."
Some MPs and legal experts questioned whether a defence of parliamentary privilege could be sustained. David Heath, the Liberal Democrats' constitutional affairs spokesman MP, said: "If there is any question about whether parliamentary privilege gives protection against prosecution for fraud, then parliament should make it very clear by passing a resolution to say that it does not."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/05/mps-expenses-criminal-charges-jail
George wonders that if £1.1 million was paid back, then how can only four MPs be charged with theft? This is one of the biggest, scandals in history and John Terry, bless his little cotton blue socks, has taken the sting out of the expenses story. That is a reason to take the armband off him, not his private life.

Charlie Brooker - How to report the news

2010-02-05T05:48:00.003Z

Highest rated video in any genre? That's not bad Brooker, but are you the 8th most subscribed comedy channel on Youtube? No your not, not like The Podcast Four, keep trying mate.

Watch the whole episode - http://watchingwithgeorge.blogspot.com/2010/02/brooker-newswipe-series-2-episode-3.html

Or watch The Podcast Four - http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePodcastFour

Mr Eugenides (you are a human being after all) - Drinking, lots.

2010-02-05T04:57:00.002Z

http://mreugenides.blogspot.com/2010/02/denormalisation-of-drinking.html

"We drink 46 bottles of vodka every year, they scream, but of course we don't; we relax with friends on a Friday night, we share a bottle of wine with a lover, we get unsolicited life lessons over a pint with our dads. I saw in the Millennium sitting in the sand with a bottle of champagne, a few old friends and a few new ones, and a view of the extraordinary fireworks in Sydney harbour. That night, I thought - with due apologies to the banal cheesiness of this sentiment - fuck me, it's great to be alive: here, in this moment, and with these people. Perhaps NHS Scotland could calculate how many seconds closer that magical night brought me to the day of my death, or what six glasses of champagne would be in centilitres of methylated spirits. What a productive use of my tax money that would be."

I've known, and know, alcoholics - true alcoholics - and I pity them, and wish they could find a healthier balance in their lives. Alcohol, which I love but enjoy reasonably responsibly (Monday night notwithstanding), may end up killing them. Hell, it may end up killing me.

But I pity the puritanical tossers more, because they're trying to force their joyless, bloodless worldview on the rest of us, and they simply do not have that right. I'm going to die. How I do it, and when, is just none of their fucking business."

Well, we agree on this kind of freedom then. He even thinks C Brooker is a genius. Is Mr Eugenides lurching ever so closer to the liberal left, whisper it quietly, but I think he might be... Although don't tell him I said so...

A letter from David Cameron - The NHS

2010-02-05T03:41:00.004Z

Have you received your David Cameron letter yet? You know the one, everybody I have met in the last six months has got one, flashy NHS leaflet, photos of him rubbing shoulders with the doctors and nurses in the NHS, smiling with cheese, ending the letter with "I'll look forward to hearing from you soon", all very pleasant stuff. Except, and this is the give-away, the Conservative Party do not believe in the National Health Service.

Too cynical I hear you cry? Dave will "cut the deficit - not the NHS", the Tories will increase spending year on year. Dave wants a "world class NHS". Garbage, he might increase spending, but not for the NHS itself. Ill let Richard the blogger explain (and his blog has some outstanding, in-depth, detailed analysis of Tory Health proposals.)

"Whenever possible, we will ensure that national public health initiatives funded by public money are paid for on the basis of the results they achieve. … By paying organisations running national campaigns by the results they achieve, we can encourage such innovation and improve the value we get from the money spent on public health."

This is clearly indicating that a Conservative Government will franchise public health responsibilities to new private corporations: these are private super-nannies who will tell you what you should eat and drink: "public health initiatives funded by public money".

http://torylies.blogspot.com/2010/01/conservative-public-health-green-paper.html

The key wording is, as Richard quite rightly points out, public health initiatives. These will be private companies.

"PRIVATISATION AGENDA

The first thing that is extremely obvious is the Conservatives intend to have a much larger involvement of private suppliers in the NHS. The manifesto is littered with terms like "any willing provider", "choose any healthcare provider", "new independent and voluntary sector providers", "allow new providers" and "encouraging hospitals to compete for patients".

There we go, an old political trick, don't say the actual word 'privatisation', just use other double-speak phrases to mask your real intentions. Not a solely Tory practice, as we found with the spinning of Alastair Campbell et al, but is hugely significant in this mirror image of what the Conservative Party truly intend to do to the National Health Service.

I really do urge you to read the blog written by Richard, it is full of clear explanations about the intentions the Tories have regarding the 'world class' NHS Dave C so clearly loves.

http://torylies.blogspot.com/2010/01/conservative-public-health-green-paper.html

"The Conservatives originally promised an extra 45,000 single rooms at a cost of £1.5 billion, but on the 7 January when pressed on this figure David Cameron admitted that it was not achievable and said that it was simply an "aspiration". Here was Cameron admitting that the manifesto has at least one policy that could not be achieved, a Conservative lie

If we have learnt anything from the expenses scandal it is that the public want politicians to be honest and open. The fact that the "draft manifesto" includes policies that cannot be achieved shows that it is neither honest nor open.

CONCLUSION

There is very little of worth in the Conservative "draft manifesto" on health, but there is a lot to be worried about. First it shows the natural inclination in Cameron for centralising power, next it shows his zeal for privatisation and finally it shows dishonesty by claiming Labour policies as theirs and including unobtainable policies. It is clear that the only people who will benefit from these policies are the private healthcare providers. This is not a manifesto for the NHS it is a manifesto for private healthcare."

Brooker - Newswipe - Series 2 - Episode 3

2010-02-04T21:03:00.001Z

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qjnl2

"Constantly brilliant, if everybody watched this programme the world would be a better place."

George Allwell

Watching with George

Tower Block of Commons - Needs to be seen to be believed

2010-02-04T02:03:00.007Z

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/tower-block-of-commons/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1

In this new four-part series the MPs leave Westminster and their comfortable homes to live for eight days and nights in tower blocks on different council estates in some of Britain's most deprived neighbourhoods. They will be living alongside and meeting a wide range of residents on the estates and coming face-to-face with issues that affect their lives: including gangs, immigration, drug addiction, poverty, crime, housing and unemployment.

This really is an appalling example of why our politicians seem to have no concept of the world they constantly argue about.

Liberal Democrat Mark Oaten experiences the dire housing conditions of Goresbrook Village in Barking and meets the residents disenchanted with mainstream politicians who have turned to the BNP. But he's upset when verbally attacked by local youths.Conservative Tim Loughton finds out first-hand what some residents really think of politicians on the gang-divided Newtown estate in Birmingham.Austin Mitchell and his wife Linda are shocked by poor living conditions and a drug problem on the Orchard Park estate in Hull.And former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith learns a thing or two on the Carpenters estate in Stratford, East London.

George was going to write an article reviewing each of the individual MPs involved, their reactions to the estates they found themselves on, and whether this would have any real effect on the policies they would subsequently look to promote. Upon reading the comments board of the Channel Four programme, and some of the reactions of the general public, George has decided to pick out a few of the diverse reactions, compliments, criticisms and at times moving responses made by the 'Have Your Sayers'. It will hopefully do it more justice than George's own, somewhat biased, political opinion.

STEVE on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 at 18:55 Austin Mitchell; hang your head in shame, retire at the next election, but please do not continue to embarrass yourself and your party. If Gordon was watching he should have been hiding behind a cushion before he got on the phone and gave you the almightiest rollicking you've ever had. You made the Tory and the Lib Dem look half credible you muppet.

PIERSKNOWEREIVER on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 at 17:53 Rarely do I feel moved to comment so publically on a mere TV show - this, however, just couldn't be ignored. It is high time that our political representatives (increasingly career ones) were exposed to real life. I believe that this show is fairly well intentioned, although it is obvious that a commercial TV company needs to highlight controversy in order to generate ratings. To my mind the participants in episode 1 deserve credit for their willingness to attempt to engage with a lifestyle clearly alien to them - EXCEPT AUSTIN MITCHELL - I can't remember why, but I had always associated his name with the small list of politicians that seemed to deserve respect - NO LONGER!!! I truly suspect that any chances of re-election have now been blown out of the water, unless his constituents have been unable to see this series.

MARK W on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 at 16:00 i enjoyed this programme. out of all of them only mark oaten came across as caring. the others were going through the motions and thinking about their paycheck from channel 4. i was moved by the young girl who asked them what they were doing.

CMILLY on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 at 01:49 The concept of this programme is brilliant, I love it. Things/programs like this expose people for what they REALLY are {of course there are those that needs to be pressed a bit harder to show their true colours}. Austin Mitchell- I felt his behaviour was insulting to the audience and a shameful reflection on his party and constituent Grimsby. He came across narrow minded, lazy, self centred and ignorant. They lacked the discipline to even participate in the program fully. His purpose there is merely, to take up space. He demonstrated that ignorance is not a 'class' thing but an individuality thing - MP or council tenant. Igorance is a poverty issue, i.e lacking knowledge. You can be an MP, Prime Minister or King and still have a poverty/ignorant problem. I love the fact that he shows clearly that stupidity is not a council tenant issue, as many people assume. Too many people assume that council tenants are stupid, lazy and ignorant, when Mitchell is a clear example that it isn't a council tenant thing. Iain Duncan Smith %u2013 I pray that his wife recovers fully. Mark Oaten %u2013 I loved seeing his struggles as it is a huge reality shock and psychological adjustment MP or no MP. Seeing his struggles made the experience real, which I believe anyone needs to experience to make a persisting difference. I believe that he has contributed the most thus far, due to the petition and time he invested into getting this off the ground. Mark %u2013 whether or not you did what they claim you did, forgive yourself and let go of the past, stop beating yourself up and move forward. You CAN make a positive difference in people’s lives. Live, Love and Forgive... Tim Loughton - Appears to be down to earth. His zeal and enthusiasm is nice. Tim going out and partying illustrated a level of strategic ‘normality%u2019. I hope he makes a positive difference in Sheree’s life.

NEIL GILMOUR on Tuesday, February 02, 2010 at 00:10 I'm not into blogging and don't even facebook but feel i have to shout my words out - I congratulate the programme makers to some extent in trying to highlight issues but it is really just a sensationalise to grab some ratings, politicians who have taken part my hat off to all of you except austin mitchell - you sir should feel ashamed of yourself for ever claiming to have a career in politics, you have a disgusting display of arrogance and could never represent the public when you simply cannot appreciate any other class of people other than your preferred selection - your own. I am not into the belief that all fault lies with the government or the people, the faults we have in our society lies in all of us, an apathetic society and a selfish society of which I too am guilty, trouble is at nearly 40 now what can i do to effect any change ?? what can the politicians do to effect any change ?? In essence the tower block and the no go areas of many of our cities and towns are now into their 2nd and 3rd generations of ill educated and immoral classes of people that our social benefits system promotes continued downward spiral rather than to promote change in people and raise aspirations, our policing, courts and prison system is completely FAILED not failing, there is no deterent to crime when perpitrators have to live in these conditions and worse when of course our prisons are so well equipped, comfortable and clean. Without going into the relms of boring the ass off anyone interested in reading this - nothing will change when we have mp's that are too frightened to effect the change needed for a great country and a great population because to attempt to make the real changes means they will lose their jobs - unpopular choices need to be made and the mp's are too busy pandering to the minorities of society as they are the only ones who seem to get a voice - poor criminals if they don't get what they want, poor young single mothers and multiple absent fathers because they can't have a house, poor never worked a day in their lives claimants - what about poor majority of society that work, struggle, pay their bills, keep a roof, educate their kids and disipline them when necessary - Listen up all politicians - watch the programme and learn from it - the tower blocks will show a mixture of people, some beyond help I am sure but on the whole people who deserve to live better - simple suggestion is this - lets have a social benefits system that instead of giving away free money, how about every claimant capable of working does work, for the state, and is paid benefits according to the hours worked each week, minimum no of hours applicable, say 16 hrs a week, otherwise no payments of any money at all will be made to the claimant, give people some ability to earn a living wage whilst on benefits and looking for a job, employers would be able to see that claimants are capable of working and at the same time the work done by claimants could be cleaning the streets of all the broken glass, needles, grafitti, repairing damage etc - maybe it will also promote a reluctance to cause the damage in the first place if they are then having to clean it up or clean up the mess made by their mates, this would I am sure also pose an interesting debate amongst them !! Finally - maybe the purpose of this sort of programming is to dissolve the apathy we all seem to have, give a voice back to the people where it should be and not to leave the MP's in total control and to screw it up any further !!!

DEB on Monday, February 01, 2010 at 23:56 Make no mistake,the solutions to the many and varied problems this series highlights are unlikely to be found quickly. I remember seeing World in Action and Panorama programmes from 40 years ago and where tower block living is concerned I see little change:same damp and mould, same excuses by Councils,same lack of recreational facilities and community involvement,same petitions that raise hopes and smash them when nothing happens. Most of those MP's have been in Westminster for many years,how come they still lack understanding of constituents daily lives? Why so surprised? They were all scared,as well they might be, at being cut off from the comfort of their own little world. The one who shocked me the most was the Labour MP Austin Mitchell. He's been around the block and he's obviously grown used to ignoring the underbelly of UK life. Why go on the programme if he can't do what's required? He was fixated more on a bloody newspaper than his hosts difficult circumstances. His wife in trying to empathise with Selina, at least had the humility and honesty to share her personal understanding of addiction ,albeit to a legal drug, was shut up by Mitchell's completely selfish and brutal rebuke about his reputation as an MP now being shattered by her public admission. So we all know where his true interests lie! Will be watching with interest.

SIMO on Monday, February 01, 2010 at 22:19 Mmmmmmmm........not a nice place to live....i would hate it........i wouldn't do it........i would rather sleep rough in a farmers field and be surrounded by creepy crawlies ........my heart went out to the little children......poor things..........its a vicious cycle that needs breaking.....and that means demolishing them. As for the MP's....well.......it's not a fair test for starters.........ok they get to see the other side of life for a short time and all the knockers say you should try it for a year or five years ..........but get real....these are high achieving people who would WORK themselves out of the situation in no time...........and that's THE major difference between them and a lot of the residents....going on what was shown...they wouldn't accept the situation and would get themselves out of it instead of expecting handouts and benefits. A lot of them seem incapable of doing anything for themselves.......come on.....if i lived in that flat the shower wall would not look like it did and be all mouldy and flaky.........i would clean it and buy some paint......even if i had to do it once a month to keep on top of it.........And drugs are not compulsary........everyone can say no! And to fags too. It's all about choices and what you are prepared to accept as an individual.

LILLIAN MAY on Monday, February 01, 2010 at 22:14 Typical, harping on about poverty and how hard their life is living on benefits but sat there watching a 42" flat screen television. Right at the end summed it up perfectly...MP struggled to keep within the weekly shopping budget and then the mother spent ?42 on cigerettes (compliments of the British Tax Payer)...what a joke!!

ELIZABETH on Monday, February 01, 2010 at 22:12 I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MY LOCAL MP FOR THE PAST 8 MONTHS, EMAILING HIM ABOUT THE SAME SORT OF ISSUES, HE HASN'T HELPED AT ALL AND IT MAKES ME LAUGH AS ABOUT A MONTH AGO I EMAILED HIM TELLING HIM MAYBE HE SHOULD MOVE INTO MY BLOCK AND FIND OUT WHAT ITS REALLY LIKE, HE WOULDN'T LAST A WEEK, SO UNLIKE MY MP WHO ISN'T INTERESTED AT LEAST THESE MPS OFF THE PROGRAM HAVE AT LEAST BOTHERED TO EXPERIENCE LIVING LIFE IN A RUN DOWN BLOCK OF FLATS.

CHILLI71 on Monday, February 01, 2010 at 22:11 Found the programme fascinating, was a shame that Ian DS had to leave as he seemed to really grasp the challenge though he had no alternative - family life has to come first. I think both the Tim Loughton and Mark Oaten tried to understand the lives of the people they were living with but the labour guy Austin Mitchell- what a total idiot. He wouldnt even live with his host, his wife complained about the accommodation they were going to stay in for a few days, they didnt appear to spend much time with their host and even when she came round with lunch and discussed her drug programme he sat and read the paper, totally disinterested in her story, they also left the tower block for a nice cosy supper with friends!! Am looking forward to what the rest of the series shows us about our MP's. Good start to what could be an interesting series.

George too was appalled by the behaviour of Austin Mitchell, truly a self-obsessed, pampered, champagne socialist. But enough has been said about him above. George truly hopes Iain Duncan Smiths wife is on her way back to health and a full recovery. The shock to the system was the attitude and behaviour of the Tory MP Tim Laughton, he tried to empathise, and was willing to 'muck' in and be involved, even though his attempt at dancing was hilarious, at least he gave it a go (take note Mitchell). The same has to be said about Mark Oaten, compassionate, showed real emotions, and tried to actively do something - pointless maybe, but he tried, again, unlike Mitchell.

Looking forward to the second episode.

Prodicus - Tory blogger

2010-02-03T23:57:00.001Z

In the spirit of agreement and cooperation, this quote is found on his blog and George agrees with every word of it.

"I do not respect your opinion. It offends me. I will say so and no law should prevent me. I respect you, though, and will not attack you. If you are attacked, I will defend you. And then I will attack your opinion."

Tories 'hung-up' over the possibility of a hanging parliament

2010-02-03T23:47:00.005Z

http://prodicus.blogspot.com/2010/02/not-losing-sleep-over-this-hung.html

The BBC leads the non-blog media pack in bigging up the Hung Parliament meme because it makes a good story. There really isn't anything else they can say, other than the routine ~~attacks on~~ analysis of every Conservative policy announcement. Not that it matters what the band plays as the ship goes down.

And Cameron? He has forbidden all talk of complacency. The Hung Parliament narrative is good for the Tories, because it boosts the constituencies' GOTV effort and impels wavering voters to vote Tory to be sure that the despised Brown and the hated Labour Party are thrown out decisively.

I have said it before. Tory landslide.

George says:

"I am a Conservative because I am a realist who believes in freedom, tradition and patriotism." (by Prodicus)

You are a Conservative who believes in freedom (to do what you want - but not freedom for others to do what they want), tradition (hanging, flat earth, smoking is good for you) and patriotism (Nationalism, fascism or a good old British empire).

Add to that a trickle of election panic, coupled with the bravado of this post, and you can continue to live the delusion you currently swear by.

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/

Hung parliament - without doubt.

Then we will start to have cooperation, agreement and decency in government.

Newser Science - A future by Gervais

2010-02-03T01:47:00.000Z

http://www.newser.com/story/79786/ricky-gervais-stop-having-useless-kids.html

Look out, New York: Ricky Gervais is coming. The comedian, whose divisive Golden Globe hosting gig included jokes about masturbation and onstage drinking—“which Jane Fonda didn’t appreciate apparently”—says he already has digs in the Big Apple, where he's moving with his partner of 25 years, Jane Fallon. Why? Because, he tells the Times of London, New York is a “magical place” where “people aren’t offended by the word ‘penis’ or beer.”

Gervais also says he’ll be doing a guest stint on the American version of The Office. Not in his future: marriage or kids. “There are too many children,” he opines, particularly those who are poor or unwanted. “What there is, is too many useless people … who shouldn’t have children.” Should we impose some kind of limit? “Yes, based on stupid fat faces,” he replies. “If there’s a woman in leggings, eating chips with a fag in her mouth, sterilize her.”

Move Your Money - Make the banks smaller

2010-02-03T00:28:00.001Z

http://leftwingconspiracy.com/2010/01/30/lefty-has-already-moved-his-money-what-about-you/

Tories in muddle over the word 'advise'

2010-02-02T21:40:00.001Z

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/02/02/osborne-red-faced-after-lord-stern-backs-away/

We noted on LC this morning that Lord Stern, who is a strong critic of climate change deniers, was to be named as George Osborne today as an advisor.

Lord Stern has said this in the past:

Those who say that climate change doesn’t exist are being understood as the flat-earthers that they are, as the people who deny the link between smoking and cancer, as the people who denied the link between HIV and AIDS.

Nevertheless, in order to shore up their green credentials, George Osborne announced that Lord Stern would help the Tories develop ideas for a new Green Investment bank.

But Sky News is now reporting:

Nicholas Stern, a highly influential crossbench peer who has played a key part in creating the Government’s global warming policy, says he will be working not just with the Tories, but also with Labour and anyone else who is interested. “I should stress that I am not, and have no plans to be, an adviser to any political party,” Lord Stern said in a statement.
…
“I would be willing to speak to the Conservatives’ advisory group about their ideas for a Green Investment Bank, just as I am continuing to contribute to discussions with the Labour Government about policies on climate change.”

While not ruling out working with the Tories, the suggestion earlier that Tories had ‘poached him’ now look decidedly premature.

Is Lord Stern backing from the Tories after discovering the extent of their climate change denialism?

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/02/02/osborne-red-faced-after-lord-stern-backs-away/

George Says:

Political satire – outstanding.
BREAKING NEWS…BREAKING NEWS…BREAKING NEWS
In tomorrows news, Cameron will be announcing his new advisor for the upcoming department of families, morals and scientific progress, ladies and gentleman, I give you – The Pope.
(later statement from AP) –
OTHER BREAKING NEWS…
The Pope seeks to distance himself from The Tory Party, claiming to never support the ideals of a man with a history of side-stepping questions about cocaine use and cannabis smoking, ladies and gentleman, I’m talking about, Family Dave)

New poll shows US right falling off deep end

2010-02-02T21:33:00.002Z

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/02/02/new-poll-shows-us-right-falling-off-deep-end/

A new poll by the US polling company Research 2000 illustrates how the mainstream of the Republican party base is falling off the deep end.

Conducted among 2,000 self-identified Republican respondents nationwide, it will pose deep headaches for the minority party which will have to build a wide base of voters if it is to govern again.

And yet the views of most Republicans will make this very difficult. Polling shows that:

• 39% of Republicans want President Obama to be impeached.
• 63% think Obama is a socialist.
• Only 42% believe Obama was born in the United States.
• 21% think ACORN stole the 2008 election — that is, that Obama didn’t actually win it, and isn’t legitimately the president, with 55% saying they are “not sure.” This number is actually significantly lower than it was in a similar question from Public Policy Polling (D) back in November, which said that 52% of Republicans thought ACORN stole it. So does this mean Obama is gaining ground among Republicans? As it is, only just over 20% of Republicans will say that Obama actually won the election.
• 53% think Sarah Palin is more qualified than Obama to be president.
• 23% want to secede from the United States.
• 73% think gay people should not be allowed to teach in public schools. This position puts the GOP base well to the right of none other than Ronald Reagan, who helped defeat the Briggs Initiative, a 1978 referendum in California that would have forbidden gays or people who advocated gay rights from teaching in public schools.
• 31% want contraception to be outlawed.
George Says:
• 53% think Sarah Palin is more qualified than Obama to be president.
The end of the world is nigh, either that or falling rates of people within Republican circles have lost the ability to read and understand the word ‘qualified’.
39% impeached? For what? Skin colour, health-care for everyone, oh the nasty man should be in prison for crimes designed to help the American people.
• 23% want to secede from the United States – They could rename themselves, any offers on names? The United States of KKK, or US and Them. I want this written down as a promise. Maybe they could relocate in Heaven or Utah?
“• 63% think Obama is a socialist.”
The other 37% think he is a Nazi – The beautiful irony of political discourse.
“53% think Sarah Palin is more qualified than Obama to be president.
So 53% of Republicans think that a Republican is more qualified than a Democrat to be president? Stop the presses.”
No, start the presses, this means nearly half of all Republicans DON’T think she is more qualified. So they do have some sense, ‘the other half’, as they say, believe the world was created on American Independence Day, and that the dinosaurs were knocking about just before the great war of 1941-45.
“I think it’s reasonable to suggest that elderly southerners are more likely to be prejudiced than others and so what do you do when you want to show people as being prejudiced? Poll more elderly southerners than any other demographic. Genius!”
So she is even less popular than we first thought, nearly half (47%) of the old KKK members STILL think Obama is the...

* (Good point to end that sentence/post). If I had not accidentally pressed the enter button I would have gone for… “STILL think Obama is…” ‘the man’, ‘the better man’, ‘the better black man’, in fact, the KKK brigade think a black socialist is more preferable to a white women. Gotta love the racists.
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/02/02/new-poll-shows-us-right-falling-off-deep-end/

Terry - Who cares?

2010-02-02T21:28:00.003Z

http://enemiesofreason.blogspot.com/2010/02/terry-and-tabs.html

"As I said during the Tiger Woods saga, we don't really learn anything new by all this. I would appear to be in the minority by thinking that people are entitled to their own privacy during these times - though of course that would mean everyone wanting things to stay private. Clearly, someone wanted this to go public, and I don't think it's beyond realms to suspect that a little bit of money has changed hands at some point, via Max Clifford and associates." Taken from above article - Check it out.

George Says:

The issue about the captaincy is a sporting, and rather pointless one. This is and should have stayed a private matter between the families. If Terry has shown a certain level of sporting courage (against Burnley), albeit, again, a rather pointless one; his reaction, as a person, by going and apologising, face-to-face with Wayne Bridge, would show far more character. We know nothing of each of the relationships involved, that level of debate would be far too detailed and balanced for the press, but he has betrayed someone, and he should, privately, do the last decent option left for him.

The important issue for society is the fact that a judge rules it is in the public interest for the press to be allowed to print this story. An individual with character flaws. What they refuse to overturn is the super-injunction of an oil-refinery firm (Trafigura), and its dumping of toxic waste. Or the illness this caused to thousands of locals.

This is not in the public interest, according to the laws of our land.

So we, the public, are interested in this, that is the simple fact, and we should be asking more questions about that, than the above examples of press freedom and censure.

Four Star said:

I hate the gloating that goes on in the red tops when this kind of thing is revealed but by /not/ reporting it they would still affect the lives of thousands of England supporters. You may say football, schmootball but that doesn't mean those people don't want to know.

Slightly devil's advocate, but as Matthew said in the first comment, sporting endeavour is affected by social misdemeanour, and that can't be right.

George Says:

I honestly, could not care less about John Terry's private life more than I would the guy who lives 14 doors to the left of my uncle who lives 45 miles away from my Grandma. The super-injunction is the issue, and it is a ridiculous legal get-out-of-jail for about a million card. It should not exist, and the worst thing about the whole argument, is that a judge thinks it is more in the 'public interest' than polluting peoples breathing apparatus with toxic sludge, which incidentally had just turned a nice little profit. Oh the joys of the rule of law.

Kevin Maguire from The Daily Mirror

2010-02-02T17:58:00.001Z

http://order-order.com/2010/02/02/millionaire-maguire-in-glass-house-shocker/

Glass houses - bet he was comfortable though.

The Podcast Four - Obvious Headlines

2010-01-31T17:44:00.000Z

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePodcastFour#p/a/u/2/FpR-AWEr97M

The Podcast Four - Snow panic, special guests and lube-filled toilet visits

2010-01-31T17:42:00.000Z

The Podcast Four - Gay white rappers get shot 9 times

2010-01-31T17:40:00.001Z

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePodcastFour#p/a/u/1/1b1sypGyFvE

I'm routed in reality - Me, Matt and George

2010-01-30T15:19:00.001Z

Iraq - A foreign policy perspective (By Unity on Liberal Conspiracy)

2010-01-30T13:16:00.003Z

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/01/30/iraq-from-a-foreign-policy-perspective/#comment-101134

The problem here, as with almost everything else that’s been written on the subject in the last six years, is that the majority of people expressing opinions on this issue don’t really understand how foreign policy actually ‘works’ and how it different it is from domestic politics. What they do, for perfectly understandable reasons, is try their best to make sense what they see in Iraq, and in Afghanistan, Israel/Palestine, Zimbabwe and anywhere else you’d care to mention, by applying their understanding of domestic politics and policy-making to the situation.

This, as you might imagine, often results in them misreading or misinterpreting what actually going on and, more importantly, why?

Take the Vietnam War, for example.

If you ask most people for their view of the Vietnam War, they’d agree with the proposition that it was America’s most significant foreign policy setback of the post-World War II era…

…and they’d be wrong!

Domestically, the Vietnam War a disaster for the US. It spawned civil unrest. It put a severe dent in the American people’s self image for a generation and left behind a legacy of social, medical, economic and political problems, especially in regards to the status of war veterans, some of which still haven’t quite been satisfactorily resolved.

And, of course, America ultimate lost the war and were forced out of Vietnam by what should have been, on paper, a massively inferior military force.

As bad as all that sounds, the Vietnam War was, in terms of US foreign policy, a qualified success – No, really, it was.

Yes, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos did all fall to Communist forces but none of these countries were ever of any great strategic value or importance to the US, anyway...

Cont..http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/01/30/iraq-from-a-foreign-policy-perspective/#comment-101134

George said:

Vietnam was a marked success. Iraq, within the above parameters, is also a strategic success. Israeli influence upon US foreign-policy has been crucial and clear, religious and political principles, as well as the geographical importance, all contribute to anti-Arab, anti-UN, “we can be the next empire” type attitudes and actions.
In future years, when we have grown-up a bit, maybe citizens will start to laugh at a time when people killed each other for a philosophy. For economies, for foreign-policy, for strategic advantage, for a pre-occupation with political ideologies. Idealistic, individualistic, utopian (all words never allowed in warring political discourse).
I give liberalism a bad name.

The Podcast Four - Sachs Sacks Brand

2010-01-30T01:17:00.001Z

The Podcast Four - Iced Treason

2010-01-29T22:06:00.001Z

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